Angel Reese is undoubtedly one of many greatest stars headed to Unmatched this winter. Although she is likely one of the league’s youngest gamers at 22 years outdated, Reese brings star energy, an NCAA championship, and a large particular person following sure to assist carry eyes to the brand new 3-on-3 basketball league that will probably be broadcast on TNT.
In her rookie season for the Chicago Sky, Reese averaged 13.6 factors and 13.1 rebounds per recreation, setting a WNBA file for many rebounds per recreation in league historical past. She was named an All-Star, and have become the primary ever rookie to put up a double-double within the All-Star recreation. Off the court docket, Reese amassed 4.5 million Instagram followers, greater than another participant in ladies’s basketball.
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Photograph by Michael Gonzales/NBAE through Getty Photographs
In Unmatched — set to tip off on January seventeenth in Miami — Reese will probably be a member of the Rose Membership. That membership will probably be coached by Nola Henry, who served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks underneath Curt Miller and has a powerful background in participant growth that started with an internship for the Connecticut Solar.
For the Rose Membership, Reese will staff up with Las Vegas Aces level guard Chelsea Grey, Phoenix Mercury ahead Kahleah Copper, Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes, Indiana Fever sharpshooter Lexie Hull, and Los Angeles Sparks ahead Azurá Stevens. Grey (32), Copper (30), Sykes (30), Stevens (28), and Hull (25) all carry
Nola Henry stated final week that she believes the veterans on the staff — specifically Grey — will assist Reese in her growth as a participant. Whereas Reese undoubtedly had an incredible rookie season, she struggled a bit offensive across the basket, taking pictures simply 39.1% from the sphere.
Now, she’ll be paired with a slew of proficient veterans who might assist her elevate that a part of her recreation. Grey, a three-time WNBA champion, is broadly thought of top-of-the-line level guards within the recreation. Copper, in the meantime, led the Sky to a championship in 2021. Each veterans had been key members of the U.S. Olympic staff that gained gold in Paris — and Reese is prone to profit from each of their presences.
“I feel Chelsea Grey will certainly assist Angel’s growth,” Henry stated. “It’ll velocity up her growth — not simply from a management standpoint, but in addition understanding the angles of the ground, and understanding screening.”
On the ground, Henry harassed that Reese will carry rebounding to the squad, as that has been the hallmark a part of her recreation all through her time within the league — in addition to previous to that.
“For Angel, it doesn’t matter, 3-on-3, 5-on-5, school, WNBA — she’s an unimaginable rebounder, proper?” Henry stated. “I anticipate to see rebounding from her… that’s simply what she’s completed her whole profession.”
This previous season, Reese broke a myriad of rebounding data. The 6’3 ahead turned the primary participant in WNBA historical past to file 20+ rebounds in consecutive video games, doing so in three straight outings. She additionally posted 15 consecutive double-doubles, one other league file. The rebounding success was foreshadowed; all through her collegiate profession, Reese averaged 12.3 boards per recreation.
Along with undoubtedly showcasing her strengths as a rebounder, Henry stated she believes Unmatched will function a possibility for Reese to show her defensive versatility. She’ll even be tasked with limiting a few of the finest gamers on the earth, together with Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the league’s two co-founders. Reese may also probably be primarily assigned to Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Aliyah Boston.
“With 3-on-3, there will probably be a number of switching, so I anticipate her having the ability to swap on to some smaller guards, and actually have to sit down down and guard in area,” Henry stated. “Additionally, again to the basket, having the ability to guard a few of the different actually good put up gamers in Unmatched — Phee, Stewie — she’ll get a every day, or a nightly, problem of guarding a few of the finest gamers within the WNBA, whether or not they’re guards, whether or not they’re put up gamers.”
Unmatched will probably be Nola Henry’s first head coach alternative. She’s thrilled to get to start this subsequent chapter in her profession alongside the rookie sensation.
“I’m tremendous enthusiastic about Angel,” Henry stated. “I adopted her in school, after which clearly within the WNBA, I’m simply enthusiastic about her progress.”
