Reese, drafted by the Chicago Sky no. 7 general within the 2024 WNBA Draft, is the one rookie to common a double-double on the season.
To all of the critics who doubted Angel Reese, relaxation assured she’s meant for this league. Not solely is she destined to grow to be a star within the WNBA, she made historical past this afternoon. With some nervous about how precisely the ahead’s sport would translate to the skilled league, right this moment was greater than sufficient proof that she’s poised to be one of many best ever to grace the sport. Reese continues to make headlines this afternoon together with her trend experience, swag, and confidence. And that confidence has translated into poetry on the court docket.
Within the Chicago Sky’s camp day 83-72 victory over the Dallas Wings, Reese completed with a career-high 18 rebounds and 16 factors. Accompanied by two steals, “Chi-City Barbie” grew to become the primary rookie in WNBA historical past to report seven straight double-doubles. Eight of these 18 boards got here on the offensive finish, resulting in Chicago’s 48-22 dominance within the paint. Her colossal sport on the rebounds got here only a week after she scored a career-high 20 factors towards the Connecticut Solar. +17 on the ground, Reese added three assists, and shot 7-13 from the ground.
Positive, the Dallas Wings are coping with a number of accidents nevertheless, head coach Latricia Tramell selected to show a much bigger lineup right this moment.
With Natasha Howard again within the lineup on a minutes restriction, Reese had a area day within the early matchup. And she or he did so towards Howard, Monique Billings, Teaira McCowan, Morgan Bertsch, and Stephanie Soares—the third-leading staff in rebounds per sport (35.8). For the report, not a kind of front-court gamers is listed under 6 foot 2. Her monumental efficiency was actually a testomony to who Reese is, particularly towards a Dallas staff that ranks second within the league in paint factors. It is a powerful process to win within the WNBA, not to mention rebound over girls who’re 6 foot 5 and above.
Angel Reese makes WNBA historical past by having her seventh consecutive sport with a double-double the rookie report was held by Tina Charles beforehand pic.twitter.com/Jy653XSBCd
— Ballislife Womens Basketball (@ballislifewbb_) June 20, 2024
In actual fact, in her post-game interview, she admitted she watched numerous movies about Dallas. At all times up for the “soiled work,” Reese expressed her need to take action.
“I will step in, I will mess up my nails, lashes, and stuff like that, only for my teammates,” mentioned Reese in a social media put up by the Chicago Sky. “I am keen to do no matter for this staff.” She represents attributes each staff would want for of their franchise begin, coronary heart, grit, hustle, and so forth.
She now enters right into a dialog with historic athletes who paved the best way for girls’s basketball. A number of the greats to ever step foot on the court— Sylvia Fowles, Elena Delle Donne, and Candace Parker, to call a number of. On tempo to interrupt Fowles’s season offensive rebounding report, Reese has nothing however reward for the ladies who have been the early trailblazers in girls’s basketball. Third within the league in rebounds, Reese leads the complete WNBA with 68 offensive rebounds. That places her forward of a few of most elite— A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, and Alyssa Thomas.
Reminding the broadcasters she has a detailed relationship with Fowles, Reese doubled down on her need to win.
“I simply need to do no matter it takes to win, and rebounding is what I do to win,” mentioned Reese postgame.
Together with her seven-straight double-double, Reese is off to a historic rookie season, chasing Fowles for the report at simply 22 years previous. With 11 rebounds on the half, the Baltimore native broke earlier double-double data set by Cindy Brown and Tina Charles. Averaging 12.4 factors and 10.8 rebounds on the season, she’s the one rookie to common double figures this season. With the unlucky harm information to Cameron Brink, she’s now set herself far aside within the rookie class.
Angel, you gotta cease. Your sport too powerful. Your swag too totally different. #skytown pic.twitter.com/dx6VoLeXlg
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) June 20, 2024
The Sky was beforehand using a four-game skid earlier than right this moment, marking losses towards the Dream, Solar, Mystics, and Fever. Reese and her teammates gave the youthful followers one thing to cheer about within the first of Chicago’s annual Camp Day video games. Not new to the league, Camp Day permits children to attend an WNBA sport, maybe for the primary time. A glimpse at their favourite gamers is particular on at the present time, as it’s essential for the publicity and pleasure of girls’s basketball at a younger age. With 1000’s of kids in attendance, Reese was ecstatic to obtain the victory when requested about her private efficiency.
“Man, I am simply glad we lastly received,” Reese instructed ESPN. “I am excited to be on this league, and win some extra.”
Second behind Caitlin Clark in factors, Reese leads the complete rookie class in rebounds per sport (10.8), charity stripe makes an attempt and makes, area objective makes an attempt and makes, and steals. She’s actually making her case for the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Yr Award.
Whereas a lot chatter has surrounded different gamers, we won’t neglect Reese, a bonafide nationwide champion and four-year star at LSU beneath head coach Kim Mulkey. Drafted alongside Gamecock legend Kamilla Cardoso, many puzzled how the school rivals would slot in Teresa Weatherspoon’s entrance court docket. Whereas there are contentious instances with the media, she continues to place up spectacular numbers night time in and night time out.
Standing at 6 foot 3, Reese additionally put up a double towards the Fever, Mystics, Solar, Dream, and Liberty. Out of these seven video games, three of these groups are within the high 5 when it comes to rebounding. Right now, we noticed relentless aggression to rebound and put again a number of second-chance alternatives. A constant mid-range or exterior jumper would make Reese a triple risk.
Admitting she’s excited to develop on ESPN, she’s a real candidate for rookie of the yr, and retains dominating the one method she is aware of how— with successful performs.
Improved to 5-9 on the season, Reese and the Chicago Sky will tackle the Indiana Fever at house, Sunday night.
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Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Sportswriter, Content material Creator and Social Media Supervisor for Ballislife Bets. She has a concentrate on the Girls’s Basketball and the NBA. Sara Jane presently resides in Connecticut/NYC space together with her Cat and Canine. SJ has her undergraduate diploma from the College of Connecticut in Economics, with a minor in enterprise administration
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