Despite only playing in two WNBA games, one can already tell Chicago Sky rookie sensation Angel Reese is a perennial all-star in the making who has the game to match her superstar aura.
In the first two games of her professional career, Reese had 85 percent of a sold-out Dallas crowd cheering her every basket and positive play while supporting her and the Sky more than the hometown Wings. After a disappointing career debut where she missed six free throws in the Sky’s 87-79 loss, Reese was able to rebound like superstars do by scoring 13 points while going 5-of-7 from the free throw line in her second game while leading the Sky to 83-74 come from behind victory over the Wings to split their back-to-back season opening road series.
Although her stat lines have been solid, the biggest take away from Reese first two career games has been the full faith Sky rookie head coach Teresa Weatherspoon and her staff have in Reese who is the youngest player on the Sky’s roster.
“My vets have put a lot of confidence in me, my coaching staff has put a lot of confidence in me, and they don’t really treat me like a rookie. They are always there for me no matter if it’s plays or defensive assignments,” Reese said after the Sky first win of the season. “The crowds are not just coming just to see me; they are coming to see all of us. Being able to grow women’s basketball is long overdue, I like to give the women before me their flowers as a lot of them have done a lot of great things for the game and they deserve this. Being able to get this finally and being able to have a lot of people come to the game, expect a lot more going forward.”
From the time she comes on to the court for pregame warm up drills, to the time she leaves the court waving to the crowd after spending time signing autographs and taking pictures with fans, Reese’s every move is followed by cameras while being directly under a micrscope. Even though she’s the most famous person in the Sky’s organization this early into her career, Reese commitment to winning and improving everyday remains paramount.
To many observers from afar that might come as a shock, but not to the people who are fortunate enough to see Reese grind daily to reach her full-on court potential.
“I’m not surprised, we knew exactly who we were getting and exactly who she is and nothing she does surprises any of us as she is pretty damn good at what she does,” Weatherspoon said in an exclusive interview with Vegas Sports Daily. “We are pretty lucky and I’m lucky as a coach to be able to coach her because she plays hard, she’s coachable and has been coached incredibly well and knows this game extremely well and she wants to win.”
It might be early, but Reese’s development in her rookie season is going to be one of the major story lines of the WNBA season. If early returns are any indication, the lady formerly known as “Bayou Barbie” might have landed in the perfect landing spot for her and the league as “Chi Barbie” is going to be a problem as she continues to grow off and on the court.
