Leading all rookies in points, assists, and steals, Caitlin Clark might be the outright favorite to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year this season. However, the Indiana Fever star isn't the only rookie making a name for herself in the league.
Angel Reese has delivered her spin on stardom; some love it, others don't. However, the Chicago Sky star has quickly become one of those players who tends to have as much spotlight on their behavior and antics as their performance.
The Angel Reese mentality
Reese is the kind of player you love to have on your side and hate to go up against, and she's perfectly fine with that. At 22, the sixth pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft has a fierce competitiveness and unapologetic attitude, doing whatever it takes to win by the end of four quarters.
Angel is a beast on the boards, and it's not just about numbers; it's about how she gets them. She's incredibly physical, always battling for position, often making contact with an opponent even as the ball is still in the air or out of reach, something that former women's player and coach Cheryl Miller drew in comparison to NBA legend Dennis Rodman .
"She reminds me of that mentality of Dennis Rodman," Miller said of the Sky star. "Anything around the rim, she's gonna find a way… it's just something in them that every loose ball they are going to find the way."
Critics may argue that a lot of Reese's offensive rebounds are off her misses. But her relentless effort is a big part of her game, and it's paying off. The number of times she grabs her miss and turns it into a bucket—or at least a foul—is a huge reason she's currently fifth in the league in free throws per game among players with at least 1000 minutes.
Related: "Nobody with a straight face can say there is a real debate" - Nick Wright says Caitlin is undoubtedly the WNBA ROY
Top-tier rookie
In a recent game against the Minnesota Lynx, the Chicago rookie grabbed her 418th rebound of the season, breaking the WNBA's single-season record and the single-season record for offensive rebounds with 165. Reese finished the night with 19 rebounds and 17 points in a 79-74 loss.
It gave her 24 double-doubles on the season. She's already made history as the fastest player to hit 20 double-doubles in a season and set the record for the most consecutive double-doubles at 14, previously held by Candace Parker.
"I don't know how she does it," Miller added. "She doesn't jump out the gym; she's not like your 6'6", 6'5", which gives her a height advantage, a length advantage. So it has to be her [mentality] because I've never seen someone offensively rebound better than her."
Reese's trash-talking and no-holds-barred approach on the court might make many people blindfolded to her play. However, she is not afraid to get under her opponents' skin, just like how she pulled the "you can't see me" taunt on Clark and showed her a finger, indicating a ring during the 2023 NCAA women's championship final. Angel received backlash for it and has built a bit of a "villain" reputation in the WNBA.
Related: Cheryl Miller shares why she is impressed by Juju Watkins - "She is something special to watch"
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