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Chicago Sky star Angel Reese hit back at one fan who criticized her inefficient scoring as a rookie.
The 2024 All-Star responded on X that “that was the worst you’ll ever see me.”
Angel Reese @Reese10Angel
do you realize I got drafted 7th in my class while “missing layups” as a ROOKIE shooting 39% on the year & was STILL a all star and that was the worst you’ll ever see me??? or you just laid up with your dog at home hating Adam?? https://t.co/QWRG3wAXoH
There’s no getting around the numbers.
Reese made just 39.1 percent of her attempts despite operating primarily around the basket. According to WNBA.com, she shot 47.0 percent inside the restricted area and just 17.1 percent in the paint outside of the semi-circle. She was also 14-of-46 from the mid-range.
This was one of the 6’3″ forward’s biggest concerns ahead of her step up to the pros. She didn’t display a lot of range across her four years at Maryland and LSU, and bigs who can’t space the floor are becoming less and less of an asset in the WNBA.
But Reese also showed in 2024 why she could have a long, productive career ahead. Her 13.1 rebounds per game were the most in the league and she swatted away 0.5 shots per contest. At one point, she had 15 straight double-doubles to set a WNBA record.
Reese was one of three Sky players to have a positive net rating (0.8) in 2024, per WNBA.com. Chicago’s net rating fell to minus-21.0 when she was on the bench.
When projecting ahead, there are valid questions to ask about Reese’s value. Being an elite rebounder doesn’t mean what it once did. What’s her best role on a contending team? Will the shooting ever come along?
But Reese clearly isn’t the finished product yet, and what she delivered in her first year offered a lot of reasons for excitement.
