- Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky is in her second season, main the WNBA in rebounds as a rookie, making the All-Star and All-Rookie groups.
- A lot is made a couple of rivalry with Indiana’s Caitlin Clark, who had two triple-doubles final 12 months, additionally as a rookie.
- Reese joined Clark in esteemed firm, changing into the second-youngest participant to file a triple-double in Chicago’s 78-66 win over Connecticut.
The Chicago Sky are off to a sluggish begin within the 2025 WNBA season, posting a 3-7 file of their first 10 video games. Solely Connecticut have a worst factors per recreation differential, and the Sky are struggling at each ends of the courtroom.
Angel Reese has been a polarizing determine for the Sky, each on and off the courtroom. However Reese put her identify within the historical past books on Sunday. She grew to become the second-youngest participant in WNBA historical past to file a triple-double in a win over the Solar.
Reese Notches 11 Factors, 13 Rebounds, 11 Assists in Win
Reese posted the road to steer the Sky to a 78-66 win on the street in Connecticut on Sunday.
The previous LSU star performed 36 minutes for the Sky, posting 11 factors, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists, together with three steals and a pair of blocks. After main the league in rebounds as a rookie, Reese continues to be a menace on the glass, pacing the WNBA with 11.9 boards. For the season, Reese is averaging 10.4 factors, 11.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 steals.
Reese entered the WNBA with plenty of fanfare, and far of it was as a consequence of a rivalry with Indiana’s Caitlin Clark. The 2 met twice in school as Reese’s LSU Tigers beat Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 within the 2023 national-title recreation.
Clark bought a measure of revenge in 2024 because the Hawkeyes downed the Tigers 94-87 within the Elite 8. The rivalry continued within the WNBA, the place Clark and Reese helped spark the league to file viewership. There have been even Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese betting props for a hypothetical 1-v-1 recreation.
Each gamers have downplayed the rivalry, however they’re all the time going to be talked about in the identical breath, whether or not it’s damaging or constructive. Reese grew to become the second-youngest participant in WNBA historical past to notch a triple-double at 23 years and 40 days. Clark did it twice final season, first at 22 years and 166 days, and once more, 60 days later.
Can the Chicago Sky Flip Their Season Round?
The Sky are far down the WNBA championship odds at on-line sportsbooks, and it was all the time going to be a tricky season. Chicago fired head coach Theresa Witherspoon in September 2024 and changed her with Tyler Marsh.
They introduced in Ariel Atkins from Washington, and Rebecca Allen from Connecticut. Courtney Vandersloot returned to Chicago, the place she spent the primary 12 seasons of her profession. Vandersloot gained the 2024 title with New York, then grew to become Chicago’s all-time main scorer earlier this season, passing her spouse, Allie Quigley. The veteran guard then tore her ACL and can miss the remainder of the marketing campaign.
The onus is on Reese and fellow younger participant Kamila Cardoso to enhance and push the Sky ahead. Reese nonetheless has to enhance offensively, capturing 35.7% from the sphere, and 71.1% from the flour line.
She hits the boards onerous and is an excellent defensive participant, however you’ll be able to’t be impactful sufficient if you happen to wrestle on the opposite finish. Nonetheless, she’s solely 23 and a tough employee, so the longer term is brilliant for the younger ahead!