Among all the rookies selected in the WNBA Draft this year, Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese and her limited offensive game posed a question mark. However, she has used her rebounding skills to be one of the best rookies in this class, leading her unofficial LSU ‘uncle’, Shaquille O’Neal, to call her the Rookie of the Year.
Her rebounding has been stellar since the first day of June. In fact, she has ended every game in double digit rebounds. She has already set the record for most consecutive double doubles for any WNBA player ever. Her consistently high rebounding rate also means she is leading the charts among all players this season. But in her last two games, those numbers have netted her a chance to join her ‘uncle’ Shaquille O’Neal.
She has become the first rookie since the Hall of Famer to record 20 rebounds in back-to-back games. That places her in an elite category as none of the much taller superstars of the NBA have managed to do that in their rookie seasons. Angel Reese also ends up being the only player to ever do it in the WNBA, irrespective of year of play.
Quite some accomplishments for the Chicago Sky rookie. She now holds two records and is on pace to set a third. That is, she is only 53 rebounds shy of setting the record for most rebounds in a WNBA season. To add to the accolades, the player’s whose records she broke, are all Hall of Famers, suggesting that if she fixes her shooting, Angel Reese could be one.
Angel Reese’s shooting struggles dampen her other accolades
The rookie might be making the glass her own, but she is struggling for efficiency on the other end. She is currently shooting 39.3% from the field, an appalling number especially when most of her shots are in the restricted area. In college, she shot almost 50%, suggesting that either she has a dip in her efficiency, or is struggling to adjust to the size and strength of WNBA players.
Whatever the reason is, she is leaving a lot of points on the floor. She routinely attempts at least 12 shots per game, most of them around the basket. If she can work her way to her college efficiency, her production will improve considerably. She has the potential to become the focal point of Chicago Sky’s gameplans.
Angel Reese has the potential to become an unstoppable 20-20 monster in the WNBA. She needs to work with shooting coaches to improve her scoring to get there. If she does, she will no doubt be in the conversation of one of the best players in the WNBA.
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