On Saturday, May 18, 2024, the Chicago Sky won its first game of the season. Angel Reese just won her first game in the WNBA after getting drafted. Her best past? She did so while setting a new league record.
The game ended with Chicago securing an 83-74 victory over Dallas. Reese ended the game with 11 points and nine rebounds. She has made 12 offensive rebounds this season, the most by a rookie in the WNBA’s first two games.
In the league’s history since its founding in 1997, only three players have had more offensive rebounds in the first two games of a season, regardless of experience. Cheryl Ford, Erika de Souza, and Jonquel Jones are the three players.
As Dallas led 65-64 in the fourth quarter, she recorded one of her better rebounds after a three-pointer that teammate Dana Evans attempted. As the action progressed, Reese was seen in an individual battle with Dallas center Stephanie Soares. The battle occurred in the paint after a miss, which Reese won and scored a 2-pointer off.
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Dallas is probably the best team in the league, if not the best, which makes the feat more impressive. Dallas boasts two 6-foot-7 centers, one of whom is the starting center and the other a backup.
Kalani Brown and Teaira McCowan, both centers, provide Dallas with exceptional length in the post. This is in addition to 6.6 Soares, selected fourth overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft.
Reese has been a dominant player on the court since she was drafted by the Sky. As a student-athlete, she averaged 14.4 rebounds per game, which is an SEC record.
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After the game, she discussed the challenges of adapting to the WNBA, particularly against bigger players. She said that the idea of boxing out and rebounding prevented her from just sitting on the baskets.
She remembered her college days, how she involved herself in the game, winning rebounds, and asserted that she just applied the same technique. Additionally, she acknowledged that her opponents were bigger and stronger than her, but she didn’t let that stop her.
Her field goal percentage was 33.3% throughout the game. In the fourth quarter, she made all three of her field goals.
ALSO READ: Angel Reese Leaves LSU for the WNBA
Her historic achievement occurred just one day after receiving her interdisciplinary studies degree at LSU. She also minored in psychology, leadership development, and communication studies. She transferred to LSU for her final two years of school after completing the first two at Maryland.
Her Sky teammates gave her a cheer tunnel in appreciation. Brianna Turner and Kamilla Cardoso, two of their teammates, also obtained degrees.
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