Angel Reese, the standout rookie forward for the Chicago Sky, has been making headlines with her extraordinary performances in the WNBA this season.
Reese has recorded 16 double-doubles in her first 22 career games, a feat that places her in elite company. The last player in either the WNBA or NBA to achieve such a mark was Shaquille O'Neal during his rookie season in 1993, per StatMamba. Shaq's rookie season in 1992-93 was one for the history books, earning 68 double-doubles across 81 games, according to basketball-reference.com. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season. He averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game throughout his career.
Despite the Chicago Sky's 91-76 loss to the New York Liberty on Thursday, Reese's streak of double-doubles continued, marking her 15th consecutive game with 10 points and 10 rebounds against the Liberty.
Reese’s contributions have not gone unnoticed by her teammates. Starting guard Marina Mabrey expressed her admiration for Reese’s consistency and physicality.
“I mean, it's a joy to watch,” Mabrey said after a loss to the Seattle Storm on July 7, as reported by ClutchPoint’s Christopher Smith. “She's so consistent. She comes in every day and battles and is super physical for a rookie, which is really hard to do. That's usually one of the biggest transitions. And she kind of just jumped in there and got dirty, did all the dirty work, and now it's all paying off for her. And this is just the beginning. I'm excited to see where it goes.”
Angel Reese credits support from Chicago Sky for rookie successes
Reese has also acknowledged the support and encouragement she receives from her Sky teammates and coaches, crediting them for her success.
“I think it's great for me being able to know where I'm at right now, and obviously, I'm not satisfied. I have coaches and teammates around me that believe in me … I'm grateful. I'm blessed and lucky to be named with these amazing players, and I know they've been super nice to me. They've always been helpful and inspiring to me, and I've watched them my entire life,” she said after the game against the Storm.
The road trip concluded with a 2-1 record for the Sky, despite the final loss. Reese highlighted the positives, expressing pride in her team,
“I think there were positives. We went 2-1 on the road, being able to endure a long stretch. I'm so proud of our team. I think we fought hard, and I know that 15 in the locker room, we wanted it more than anything. I believe in my sisters through whatever challenges we have,” she said.
One of the notable improvements during this period has been Reese's outside shooting. She made her first two career three-pointers in the 88-84 win over the Storm on July 5. The newfound confidence in her shooting range has been a boost for her and the team.
“This is what I do. I mean, all I needed was an opportunity. Being able to come to Chicago and being able to be a stretch four and being able to have teammates and coaches around me with confidence,” Reese said. “They tell me all the time to shoot it, and a lot of times you'll see in the game I won't shoot it just for my own confidence. I know I can make it because I do it in practice and workouts. But tonight obviously gave me more of a confidence booster going into games knowing that I can make the shots.”
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