New York Liberty rookie Pauline Astier is having one of the quietest Rookie of the Year cases this season, but she announced herself in some fashion against the Atlanta Dream.

As halftime approached with the Liberty in possession of the ball, Astier decided to attempt a 53-foot shot from downtown, which hit the backboard and perfectly landed in the net.

Astier's picture-perfect shot put the Liberty up 51-44 at the break, as the Gateway Center Arena went into a frenzy after what they had just witnessed.

It seems like after Victor Wembanyama's meteoric rise to the top of the NBA, France has found another bright young talent in the WNBA this time around in Astier.

The rookie scored 16 points on 6-of-10 efficiency, 5 assists, and 8 rebounds, as the Liberty secured one of the most important wins of the Commissioner's Cup to also sit atop the Eastern Conference.

But Astier has been putting on such showcases since the start of the season.

In her debut game against the Connecticut Sun, Astier played a fruitful 20-minute cameo, filling the stat sheet with five points, four assists, two rebounds, and a steal. But that was just a percentage of her actual potential.

Astier shone with 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, coupled with seven assists and two steals against the Mystics. Despite the loss, Astier was excellent in the first matchup against the Fire, scoring 24 points on 71% from the field, three assists, and five rebounds.

While her numbers dipped in recent performances, the Frenchwoman is finding her groove once again after impressive numbers in two recent outings against the Phoenix Mercury.

Astier has quietly made a case for ROTY, but who are the other contenders?

What Does the WNBA Rookie of the Year Race Look Like?

By some margin, Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles leads all rookies for this honor.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft leads all rookies in virtually every category, including points (17.2 ppg), made field goals (6.1), rebounds (5.0), assists (6.4), steals (1.5), and minutes (30.6).

Miles also won May's Rookie of the Month award, while recently adding the Western Conference Player of the Week honors to her resume as well.

Meanwhile, No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd has not had the brightest of starts with the Dallas Wings. But she has significantly improved her scoring with regular double-digit scorelines.

Fudd is now averaging 11.4 points per game in 27 minutes, but comparisons with Miles have obviously reduced her chances for the ROTY.

In between the top picks comes Pauline Astier. Through 11 games, Astier is averaging 11.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds with shooting splits sitting at 59.8% overall, 50% from three, and 75.9% from the free throw line.

Alongside all her rookie peers, the Frenchwoman ranks fourth in points, second in assists, first in field goal percentage, and second in 3PT%. On top of this, she’s second in TO:AST ratio, second in win shares, and third in Player Efficiency Rating.

While the numbers don't lie, which makes Miles the clear favorite, one might say that Astier has had more impact with the Liberty with Sabrina Ionescu out.

But again, even Lynx fans can say that with star player Napheesa Collier out. With a quarter of the WNBA season already over, there is at least some clarity as to how things stand right now.

So, do you think Pauline Astier could get on level terms as the season goes on? Or has Miles locked the award this early? Let us know your opinions in the comments.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy