Getty Angel Reese during a May 15 game against the Dallas Wings.
For only the third game of her WNBA career, Angel Reese helped the Chicago Sky to a victory over the previously undefeated New York Liberty.
She finished with 13 points and 9 rebounds in the 90-81 win, improving her own and the team’s record to 2-1 on the season.
Reese, who wasn’t apart of the Sky’s postgame press conference, fired off a one-word tweet following the victory.
12th.
“12th,” Reese tweeted on May 23.
The 22-year-old phenom is referencing a preseason power rankings piece published on ESPN. Chicago was ranked 12th, dead last.
That same Sky team beat a 4-0 Liberty team that was ranked second in the same article.
Reese clearly feels both she and Chicago were slighted in preseason discussions.
Following the biggest win over her professional career thus far, she’s not allowing anyone a second to forget it.
Reese and the Sky will play their next matchup against the Connecticut Sun in their home gym on May 25.
Following their latest win, she’s averaging 12 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.
Reese Rebounds from Empty First Half
On the road against one of two teams to play in the 2023 WNBA Finals, Reese couldn’t have looked more comfortable.
She brought physicality into the game from the jump, guarding reigning MVP Breanna Stewart from the opening to closing buzzers.
That includes getting an early steal in the first quarter that helped to set the tone for the matchup.
Angel Reese scoops Breanna Stewart 🍪
Stewart finished the night with three turnovers, and each one can be credited to Reese’s defensive efforts.
But there were early struggles on the offensive end for the Sky star, who finished the first half 0-for-5 from the field.
She left them in the rearview, coming alive late in the fourth quarter to score 8 points and put the Liberty away.
It’s ben a historic start for Reese thus far. ESPN’s Alexa Philippou highlighted a few historic numbers in a postgame tweet.
Angel Reese is the only rookie this season to record 10+ points in her first three games; she is also the first Sky player to begin their career with three straight double-digit scoring games, and her 26 rebounds are also a franchise-best through such a span. via @ESPNStatsInfo
“Angel Reese is the only rookie this season to record 10+ points in her first three games,” Philippou tweeted on May 23. “She is also the first Sky player to begin their career with three straight double-digit scoring games, and her 26 rebounds are also a franchise-best through such a span.”
Reese and Sky doubters beware of buyer’s remorse. And that’s not all Reese had to say following the win over New York.
Reese Throws Shade at Barkley, LeBron
After the dust settled on her first tweet, Reese fired off a second, and an apparent shot at media members who credit Caitlin Clark for WNBA growth in 2024.
and that’s on getting a WIN in a packed area not just cause of one player on our charter flight. 😘 #SKYTOWN
Reese tweeted “and that’s on getting a WIN in a packed area not just cause of one player on our charter flight.”
It seems a response to Charles Barkley and/or LeBron James by all accounts, after comments made in the days prior.
On a May 22 episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast with JJ Redick, James credited Clark for some recent growth of the WNBA.
“Don’t get it twisted,” James told Redick. “Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things are going to happen in the WNBA. … I’m rooting for Caitlin.”
Barkley echoed the sentiments made by James, during a TNT broadcast on May 22.
“You woman out there, y’all petty, man… Y’all should be thanking [Caitlin Clark] for getting y’all a*s private charters. All the money and visibility she’s bringing to the WNBA.”
Charles Barkley says WNBA players need to give Caitlin her flowers 💐
“You woman out there, y’all petty, man,” Barkley said. “Y’all should be thanking [Caitlin Clark] for getting y’all (expletive) private charters. All the money and visibility she’s bringing to the WNBA.”
Reese, whether intentionally or not, is shining a light on the narrative surrounding Clark’s WNBA impact. Their first matchup as WNBA players will come on June 1 in Indiana.