Getty Rookie forward Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.
The Chicago Sky captured its first victory of the season, in no small part due to the efforts of rookie Angel Reese, who made a promise to her fans following the win over the Dallas Wings.
Reese took to social media on Saturday night, May 18, posting a message on X promising to keep her fouling under control and celebrating her first victory as a WNBA player.
4th quarter barbieee😭ima stay outta fouls trouble yall but whew im so happy for this team! FIRST WNBA WIN & MORE TO COME! 🔥
“4th quarter barbieee 😭,” Reese posted to her X account. “Im’a stay outta [foul] trouble y’all, but whew, I’m so happy for this team! FIRST WNBA WIN & MORE TO COME! 🔥”
Angel Reese Has Battled Efficiency Issues, Foul Trouble Through First 2 WNBA Games
GettyRookie forward Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky drives to the basket during the first half of a WNBA Game against the Dallas Wings in May 2024.
Reese finished the evening with four fouls but was still able to play a pivotal role in the team’s 28-11 fourth-quarter comeback over Dallas, which led to 9-point road victory for the Sky (83-74).
She capped a 14-0 run by Chicago with a three-point play at the 6:29 point in the final stanza that put the Sky up 67-65, per the Associated Press. Reese finished the night with 11 points, 9 rebounds (7 offensive boards), 2 assists and 1 steal. She was a +17 in the plus/minus category for the contest across 25 minutes played, per ESPN.
Overall, Reese’s second WNBA outing was probably stronger than her first. The Sky lost that game to the Wings by eight points, while Reese was -7 in the plus/minus category in 26 minutes of court time. She finished the night with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 5 personal fouls in the loss.
Reese’s biggest issue through two games as a pro has been her offensive efficiency. She connected on just 5-of-15 field goal attempts in the first leg of Chicago’s back-to-back set against Dallas before connecting on just 3-of-9 shots Saturday.
However, the rookie forward has gotten to the line with some regularity, hitting 2-of-8 attempts in her first game before connecting on 5-of-7 free throws in her second go-around. The improved percentage is significant, though the trend of drawing contact on a regular basis bodes well for Reese’s personal statistics as well as her impact on winning for Chicago.
Angel Reese Has Been Busy With Start of WNBA Season, Met Gala & Graduation
GettyChicago Sky rookie forward Angel Reese attended the 2024 Met Gala in New York City on May 6.
Most rookies entering any professional league across all of sports struggle early on. A related example is Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever (0-3), who has also dealt with growing pains in her first handful of games as a professional.
In Reese’s case, there have been other big events on her calendar over the pas couple of weeks that have rendered her life something of a whirlwind.
Reese attended the 2024 Met Gala in New York City on May 6, which took place during the Sky’s training camp. While there were some media and fan criticisms of her decision to leave one practice early for a one-night trip to the East Coast, head coach Teresa Weatherspoon stood by Reese’s decision to step into the fashion spotlight.
“There were things that were in place for them that we thought were very important for them to be part of,” Weatherspoon told Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune, referring to Reese and her rookie counterpart Kamilla Cardoso, who also left that practice early. “That’s something they earned, and that’s never something we’d ever take away.”
Reese also recently graduated from LSU, where she won a National Championship Title in the 2022-23 season.
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Angel Reese Makes Vow to Fans After Chicago Sky’s First Win