Her scoring stats justify ROY plus getting 2/3 ROM awards
by Domerduck (2019-09-05 13:32:50)

In reply to: Arike wins second Rookie of the Month award.  posted by Fighting_Artichoke


with Collier getting July. When Arike won in June, she averaged 13.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists through the nine games. For August, she averaged 24.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, and 4.0 apg in 11 games. She nearly doubled her points per game while more than doubling her assists per game. In addition her efficiency went way up shooting 44.1% including 43.6% for threes. Her improvement has been phenomenal.

Objectively Collier may be a better all around player and is on a better team, but Arike's scoring is historical as the season is winding down. With her 32 points last night at 575 points total she is now #8 as all time rooking scoring, and all 7 players ahead of her won Rookie of the Year. Here's the list from 1-8 as she is in incredible company:

#1 Simone Augustus (2006) - 745 (34 games)
#2 Aja Wilson (2018) - 682 (33 games)
#3 Cynthia Cooper (1997) - 621 (in only 28 games)
#4 Breanna Stewart (2016) - 621 (34 games)
#5 Candace Parker (2008) -610 (33 games)
#6 Tamika Catchings (2002) - 595 (32 games)
#7 Diana Taurasi (2004) - 579 (34 games)
#8 Arike Ogunbowale (2019) - 575 (32 games, with 2 left)

Arike just needs 47 points in her two games to end up #3 all time which given her last 12 game average (27+ ppg per DBSMITH) she is on track to achieve that. She has a run of three straight 30+ point games, the only rookie to ever do that and 2nd all time (see article attached). Given this historical achievement I can't see how she doesn't get it.

One thing for sure whether Collier or Arike get it, it won't be the #1 draft pick who has received the award 9 of 11 the last 11 years. Starting in 2008 with #1 pick Candace Parker, only Greiner (2013 who lost to #2 pick Elena Delle Donne) and Plum (2017 who lost to #4 pick Allisha Gray) were not ROYs as the #1 pick. In fact, it has been since 2005 when #6 draft pick Temeka Johnson won, that the WNBA ROY was not won by one of the top 4 draft picks. This year it will #5 Arike or #6 Collier, no doubt. Still if Arike ends up #3 all time I don't see how she doesn't get it.

but high level scoring is a big deal.




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