Angel Reese WNBA transition verdict says everything about LSU program

Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese may have surprised many with how seamlessly she adjusted to life in the WNBA despite being the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Perhaps her second-place Rookie of the Year finish and appearance in the 2024 WNBA All-Star game shouldn't have come as such a shock. Before the season, Reese praised her LSU coach Kim Mulkey for preparing her for the professional game.

“I think my transition has been great," Reese said early in the season . "It hasn’t been a big, super huge surprise because Kim Mulkey prepared me for this moment. At LSU our practice was like four hours, we were ready we were working. I thought training camp was gonna be harder... I think I was really prepared, [and I haven't] really had any WNBA surprises yet."

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Reese impressed for the Sky this season, averaging 13.6 points with 13.1 rebounds and Chicago in a playoff position before her season prematurely ended due to a wrist injury.

She's the next in a line of successful professionals from Mulkey's college programs. The current LSU coach has held her position with the Tigers since 2021 after serving as Baylor's head coach from 2000-2021.

In addition to Reese, Mulkey has coached the likes of Teresa Weatherspoon, Sophia Young, NaLyssa Smith, and Brittany Griner. She's won three AP Coach of the Year awards and four National Championships, including one with Reese at LSU in 2023.

Mulkey came under the microscope this spring when an attempted hit piece against her was released in the Washington Post featuring unsavory anecdotes. Reese and many of her LSU teammates with quick to defend their coach.

"Me and [Mulkey] have that kind of relationship where she can get on me and talk to me, like, 'I need you,' and give me that encouragement that I need," Reese said in late March .

Mulkey was effusive in her praise of Reese following her decision to declare for the WNBA draft this year. "Angel transferred to LSU after my first season in Baton Rouge and she helped transform our program," Mulkey wrote in a statement . "When she came here, she said she wanted to be here for two seasons and she has lived up to that.

"What a remarkable two years it has been. We are all indebted to Angel Reese for the contributions she has given to this program, helping us win our first national championship, and the contributions she made on our university as a whole."

Reese had one of the most dominant college seasons of all time with Mulkey in 2022-23. She averaged 23.0 points and 15.4 rebounds, won the national title, NCAA Tournament MOP, and was a unanimous First-team All-American.