On Sunday, Angel Reese delivered the best performance of her young WNBA career as the Chicago Sky edged out the Indiana Fever with an 88-87 victory. The following day, Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson spoke with the media about Reese, providing an honest assessment of her play.
In the win, Reese notched her eighth consecutive double-double, setting a WNBA rookie record and marking the fourth-most ever by any player. She achieved a career-high 25 points and 16 rebounds.
“It's huge. I feel like I said it around the Super Bowl. I was just like that is going to be Angel's biggest thing: translation.' Translating over from college to the pros is just rebounding the basketball,” Wilson said of the Sky rookie.
Angel Reese becoming like A'ja Wilson
Reese became the first rookie since A'ja Wilson in 2018 to score at least 25 points and grab at least 15 rebounds in a single game.
“She has a knack for it and that's not what a lot of people have. So, it's pretty cool to kind of see her flourish in that situation and flourish in life,” she continued.
Reese is currently averaging 11.1 rebounds per game, the second-highest in the WNBA, just behind Wilson's 11.6.
Wilson added via Fox5 Vegas reporter Paloma Villicana stating, “I know there's a lot that could be on her. A lot that could be around her, but she still still comes in and is consistent for her team. So that's huge. You don't see that in a lot of rookies. I'm grateful that she's doing that in her own journey and in her own way.”
This season, Reese leads the league with a rebound rate of 21 percent, according to Her Hoop Stats, and averages 13.2 points per game.
Coming back against the Indiana Fever
Angel Reese spent her first two collegiate years at Maryland before transferring to LSU in her third year, where she immediately contributed to a championship win. This year, she led LSU to the Elite Eight, where they were defeated by Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes.
A'ja Wilson's guidance has likely been a key factor in Angel Reese's stellar college career and impressive rookie season in the WNBA. Reese's relentless, feisty, and confident play style perfectly aligns with the qualities that Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon values in her players.
Reese delivered her impressive performance on Sunday when the Sky needed it most. With Indiana leading 82-70 and appearing poised to secure a 3-0 season series record against Chicago, Reese's determination and refusal to give up turned the tide.
In the final 7 minutes of the game, the rookie forward contributed 10 points and five rebounds while teaming up with fellow league newcomer Kamilla Cardoso to tighten up their defense. Her crucial and-1 play with 3:12 left tied the game at 82-82. Reese's subsequent layup gave Chicago an 86-84 lead, ultimately securing the narrow victory.
Matching up with the Las Vegas Aces
After their thrilling victory against the Fever, the Sky are preparing to face off against the Aces on Thursday at 7:00 PM EST. This highly anticipated matchup marks the first meeting between the two teams in the 2024 season. The spotlight will be on Angel Reese as she goes head-to-head against her mentor, A'ja Wilson, for the first time in her WNBA career.
The two-time defending champions, faced some challenges in the first two weeks of June but have regained momentum with the return of All-Star Chelsea Gray. They have won three out of their last four games, with their only loss coming against the New York Liberty.
Angel Reese will be tested against A'ja Wilson, who has been delivering MVP-level performances once again this season.
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