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Angel Reyes’ record-breaking year as a rookie with the Chicago Sky ended prematurely, as she announced Saturday that she will miss the rest of the WNBA season with a wrist injury.
In just 34 games, the 6-foot-3 forward has established herself as one of the most prolific rebounders in the WNBA. She set the record for most rebounds in a season, finishing with 446, and also recorded 26 double-doubles, just shy of the record of 28 set by Connecticut forward Alyssa Thomas last year.
Reese also set a league record by winning 15 consecutive double-doubles and became the first WNBA player to have 20+ rebounds in three consecutive games.
Selected seventh overall out of Louisiana State University, where she won a national championship in 2023, Reese posed a tough challenge to Indiana’s Caitlin Clark for the title of Rookie of the Year. It was a testament to Reese’s board production and defense.
The Sky are still fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot, tied with Atlanta and one game ahead of Washington, and Chicago will have to try to finish the season strong without Reese.
Where does that leave Team Sky with six games remaining, and how do we assess Rees’ first season? ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, Kevin Belton and Michael Voebel break down Saturday’s announcement.
What a year! I never imagined that the last basket of my first season would be a 3 but maybe that was God’s word to give them a taste of what they would see more of in year two, hahaha. I showed through it all that I belong in this league even when no one else believed me… pic.twitter.com/re1X85mWR2
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) September 8, 2024
What would you rate Reese’s first season?
Fobel: She earned an A. And she earned it. There were some in the WNBA who questioned her success at the professional level for various reasons, including her shooting. But those who believed in her performance continued to say that her motor alone was a valuable tool, and it was. Plus, her numbers backed that up, as she averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds.
Reese’s natural instinct for rebounding combined with her determination to never back down from it sometimes allowed her to single-handedly beat other teams on the boards. She set the season rebounding record in 32 games, breaking the previous record set by Sylvia Fowles at 34. Fowles, who retired after the 2022 season, is the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder (4,006), a record that Reese could one day break as well.
Her double-double win streak showed that she continues to be as consistent and productive in the pros as she was in college. On top of that, Reese has dealt with a lot of pressure and media attention, as the WNBA has been more in the spotlight than ever this season.
Finally, despite her season ending early, she played in 34 games, which is equal to or more than every past WNBA Rookie of the Year winner except Indiana’s Aliyah Boston last year (40). That’s because the WNBA just moved to a 40-game regular season in 2023.
What impressed you most about her transition to the professional game?
Philip: Reese’s tenacity and tenacity are hallmarks of her defensive stability and rebounding ability, and they’re also the same qualities that make her a fierce competitor and someone who constantly wants to keep improving, never satisfied with where she is. It seems like professional evaluators have underestimated these intangible qualities, which, along with her physicality and skill, have led to Reese’s historic success. It’s been so refreshing to see her dominate on the glass as she has, while standing out as a rock for her new team and facing incredible scrutiny (and racism/hate).
What are you most looking forward to seeing Reece improve on next season?
Philippou: On Friday, Sky coach Teresa Witherspoon told reporters that she had spoken to Reese recently about finishing. Reese’s critics may focus on her struggles finishing around the rim — she made 39.1 percent of her shots in her first season and 44.5 percent of her shots from 5 feet. That was an area of improvement that she and the Sky were well aware of, and it’s one that Reese will no doubt work on in the postseason with a Chicago staff focused on player development. It’s probably a positive sign that in her final game of her freshman year, she made 9-of-15 shots from the field, one of her most efficient games to date. It would also help if the Sky could surround her with stronger guards who can take defenders out of the zone.
She’ll also be looking to expand her range. Reese said Friday that she had been working late Thursday night on her three-point shooting with her coach, and she was relieved to finally make it against the Sparks after a long drought. She’s shown flashes of hitting from outside the box this season; now that it’s become a consistent part of her game that she can confidently take on, that’s the next step.
Can Sky still qualify for the postseason without Reese?
Belton: Since Reese has played all 34 games this season, we haven’t seen Chicago without her yet. With Reese on the bench, the Sky averaged 22.3 points per 100 possessions, according to WNBA Advanced Stats — the worst net rating without a player playing at least 100 minutes.
We certainly shouldn’t expect that lopsided gap to continue. Most of those minutes came off Chicago’s bench, not the starters, and the sample size (256 minutes) is very small. But it’s an indication of how important Reese is as a rookie.
The Sky have already been struggling since the hiatus due to the absence of Marina Mabry, who was replaced by the Connecticut Sun. Chicago’s two wins since the hiatus came against the last-place Los Angeles Sparks, though the return of leading scorer Chennedy Carter from health and safety protocols was a factor in the Sky’s 92-78 win on Friday, the Sky’s biggest win of the season.
The win keeps Chicago tied with Atlanta for the final WNBA playoff spot at 12-22, but the Dream were favored to finish eighth at 46% to the Sky’s 37%, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index before taking into account Reese’s absence. The two teams will face off Sept. 17 in Atlanta, a game that could decide eighth place.
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