This year, American sports have produced as strong a rookie class as any in recent history, with stars born in several leagues, and even one with possibly the best rookie class in history.
While 2024 could be described as a year defined by the Olympics or Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s love affair, it’s actually best described as the year of the rookie.
In each of the four major sports leagues, one newcomer has been a game changer for the league, establishing himself as the next big thing.
And in the WNBA, several rookies have contributed to the best group of freshman players the league has ever seen, raising the bar for all of basketball.
We’ll start with the person at the forefront of women’s basketball’s rise to popularity, dating back to her college days.
Caitlin Clark has more than led the rise in women’s basketball popularity over the past year
Clark’s entry into the WNBA helped the league consistently set viewership records
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft came into the league with the biggest spotlight imaginable for a rookie.
With LeBron James-level expectations for form both on and off the court, Clark took the Indiana Fever from the league’s worst team to a playoff contender in one campaign.
The WNBA’s Rookie of the Year finished fourth in MVP voting and set the league record for assists in a single game (19) and a season (337).
Although she was snubbed by Team USA at the Olympics in favor of more experienced hoopers, she represented the WNBA All-Stars and defeated the Olympians in their only loss of the summer.
Clark had to overcome the constant attention from the media and other players while still learning to adapt to the physicality of the WNBA by being one of the league leaders in technical fouls.
Her $28 million shoe deal should open doors for other female athletes on the road.
Clark isn’t the only WNBA rookie who changed the league forever.
Angel Reese is seen as a rival to Clark, even though the game has grown in her own way
Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
Reese and Clark’s careers will forever be linked. They played as opponents in two NCAA Tournament games at LSU and Iowa, respectively, and in four more in their rookie WNBA seasons.
Despite Clark being the runaway favorite for rookie of the year, Reese set her own path to greatness by setting the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles (15).
Reese’s season ended prematurely due to a hairline fracture in her left wrist, leading some to speculate about what her true impact could have been with a full season in the WNBA.
With Reese out of the lineup, the Sky fell out of a playoff position and head coach Teresa Weatherspoon was fired after one season leading the team.
That’s a really good sign for how much weight Reese already had on the team, as things quickly fell apart without her.
Not bad for the seventh overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft.
Paul Skenes has become one of the best pitchers in baseball in recent months
Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
Skenes’ big league debut was a long time coming, as he dominated his way through the minor leagues after being the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft.
Skene’s rookie season lived up to the hype as he established himself as the Pirates’ ace next year.
In 23 starts, he finished with an 11-3 record, a 1.96 earned run average and 170 strikeouts.
Skenes was also named a National League starter for the All-Star Game before losing a professional start.
Skenes is also known as the boyfriend of LSU gymnast and social media star Olivia Dunne.
The two had long tried to keep their romance a secret, with their huge following, but confirmed their relationship on social media last summer.
Skenes signed a $9.2 million bonus when he joined the Pirates, with Dunne being the highest-earning female collegiate athlete due to NIL deals.
Jayden Daniels has quickly proven himself as the best starting quarterback in the NFL this year
Jayden Daniels, Washington commanders
Washington’s professional football franchise has spent the last three decades looking for a permanent answer at quarterback.
Some stuck around for a while, like Kirk Cousins and Jason Campbell, but none really gained the trust of the fanbase and front office right away.
Daniels has done that in seemingly unprecedented fashion after four games.
A staggering 82.1 completion percentage in his professional career, combined with one turnover, will impress a lot of people.
Daniels’ dual-threat ability has set him apart from every other starting quarterback in what was considered a competitive field heading into the season.
Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Bo Nix and all the others don’t compare.
Victor Wembanyama was seen as a can’t-miss prospect and fully lived up to the hype
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
The 7-foot-4 Frenchman came into the league with better ball-handling skills than most guards.
Wembanyama also had an incredible wingspan that allowed him to compete against any player in the league.
Although his San Antonio Spurs were never really in contention for a play-off spot last season, it was clear how much respect ‘Wemby’ was gaining in the league.
Stars including James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic all complimented Wembanyama’s rise.
What’s scary for the NBA is that the Paris Olympics silver medalist only turned 20 in January.
And he’s not even the youngest game-changer in American sports.
Young Connor Bedard has drawn comparisons to Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby
Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks
Bedard only turned 19 in July. While it is not unusual for the NHL to have a player so young and so good, the pace at which hockey is played now will make it increasingly difficult as time goes on.
Still, Bedard easily clears that bar, even at 6 feet. It doesn’t matter how tall you are if you can skate circles around most opponents.
Bedard’s rookie season was not as dominant as his contemporaries, as he broke his jaw in January and missed six weeks of the NHL season.
Bedard still won the NHL’s Rookie of the Year award after scoring 22 goals and collecting 39 assists and 61 points.
He will have an offseason to get more of a chance to mature and work on his game now that he has felt NHL competition.
A sophomore leap could be the biggest for the youngest on this list.