WNBA star Angel Reese recently hosted NBA legend Dwyane Wade on her “Unapologetically Angel” podcast.
During the show, Reese discussed the criticism she dealt with in her WNBA rookie season. The 6-foot-3 forward was criticized all year for her rebounding and scoring abilities.
Wade emphasized that Reese’s rebounding is already at an elite level in the WNBA. He mentioned that he saw the rookie play in person and witnessed her dominance on the glass.
“You’re someone who gets your work done early.” Wade said. “They don’t even have time to figure out what you’re doing and why you’re getting so many rebounds. When I came to Chicago I [was] just sitting there watching. I was like, oh that’s why [she’s] so dominant at this.”
Despite Reese’s rebounding prowess, fans have continued to call out Reese for her offensive struggles. Wade believes she’s dealt with this criticism because she’s such a talented rebounder, so fans have been forced to nitpick her skill set.
“When a player comes in from college or anywhere you want them to at least have a strength in something,” Wade said. “Yours happens to be so strong, it allows people to start commenting on things you can’t do… That’s the world that we all live on. They’re gonna talk about what they can’t do.”
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5)
© Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Chicago Sky forward finished her rookie season leading the league in average rebounds. She ended the season averaging 13.1 rebounds per game, with the second-place player securing 11.9 rebounds per game, A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces.
In terms of scoring struggles, Reese was able to average 13.1 points per game, which ranked at No. 2 in the rookie class, but her efficiency plagued her offensive success.
The first-year star finished the season averaging 13.6 points per game. She shot 39.1% from the field, 18.8% from three and 73.6% from the free throw line.
Reese mentioned that her main goal this summer is to work on her shooting and will attempt to be a threat from the three-point line.
She’s already an incredible rebounder, so if Reese could add efficient scoring to her arsenal, she could certainly turn into one of the most talented players in the WNBA.
