Chicago City Wire

By Robbie Hodin

Historically, it takes time for WNBA rookies and young players to earn minutes at the professional level in such a talented league. For instance, an average of just over three first-rounders across the past five years play more than 20 minutes per night.

That wasn’t the case for Angel Reese. Chicago’s No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Reese quickly earned the trust of the front office and coaching staff and secured a starting spot immediately.

“She is an absolutely relentless competitor,” General Manager Jeff Pagliocca said. “She pursues the ball better than anybody I’ve ever seen. She’s a winner.”

Reese didn't just start; she dominated in her rookie season.

Her elite rebounding is the standout skill that immediately put her in the Sky’s rotation as she finished her rookie season atop several all-time league leaderboards.

“Coming into it, I knew my motor for offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds is something that I know I can always do,” Reese said on Sept. 1. “I knew it was going to translate right away. That’s something that a lot of players don’t want to do. A lot of people think it’s because I get my own rebounds, but statistically it’s not. A lot of people think it’s because I’m the tallest on the court when I’m not the tallest on the court.

“Defense and rebounding win championships and I’ve won championships at every level by just doing that. So coming into the league, before I sharpen up on my offensive things, just being able to have that on my shoulder is something that I know I can always do.”

Reese produced one of the best rebounding seasons ever recorded in league history. Not only are her 446 rebounds in her rookie season the most by any player in a single year ever, but her 13.1 average is also the best of all time.

Her dominant season on the glass was propelled in part by her efficiency on offensive rebounds. She finished just 0.005 rebounds per game from having the best offensive rebounding season of all time with a 5.1 average. Her 172 offensive boards are also a single-season record.

She also finished second all-time for rookies in defensive rebounds in a single season, just four short of setting an all-time record.

Since 2017, only three players have led the league in offensive rebounding — Teaira McCowan, Jonquel Jones, and Sylvia Fowles — none shorter than 6-foot-6. Reese stands at 6-foot-3.

With her impressive first season concluded, she became one of three rookies ever to lead the WNBA in offensive rebounding; Alessandra Santos de Oliveira and Yolanda Griffith did so in 1998 and 1999 respectively.

Reese's understanding of positioning and floor spacing contributes significantly to what makes her unique as a player despite being just a rookie.

She possesses remarkable strength and agility which allows her to position herself effectively during plays whether offensively or defensively for rebounds even when opponents aim specifically to box her out due to these skills combined with unmatched instincts determination physical tools including impressive wingspan helped break records consistently throughout games played under Sky banner this year

In addition to exceptional rebounding abilities making key piece special player team broke consecutive double-doubles record achieving fifteen straight averaging thirteen-point-six points multiple twenty-point showings

Scoring prowess appears burgeoning took more three-pointers year compared college developing range hybrid stretch four role gym shooting threes confidence bolstered teammates support ensuring continued improvement

“I was in gym all night last night shooting threes,” Reese noted after scoring from beyond arc September sixth “Just being able continue gain confidence teammates keep telling shoot matter how many times miss always tell shoot … Being able stretch helps teammates whatever need”

Future bright Chicago teams will face challenge limiting scoring rebound capabilities coming years