5 reasons why Angel Reese's WNBA Draft declaration is not the best move

Angel Reese announced on Wednesday that she will enter the 2024 WNBA Draft via a profile in Vogue. The deadline to declare for the WNBA draft was April 1, but players participating in the Elite Eight or later round of the NCAA Tournament are allowed 48 hours after their final game to make their decision.

Reese's move to the WNBA may not come as a surprise, but this may not be the best move for her career. We take a look at five reasons why declaring for the draft is not the best move for the expected early first-round pick.

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Five reasons why Angel Reese's WNBA Draft declaration is not the best move

#1 Better draft prospects ahead of her

The WNBA draft class in 2024 is one of the most talent-filled draft classes women's basketball has ever seen. Angel Reese is talented in many areas, but there are other players eligible for the draft that have more to offer professional teams.

Caitlin Clark is far and away the top prospect in this year's draft. She will likely be taken by the Indiana Fever as the top overall pick. Beyond that are players like Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson and Kamilla Cordoso, who have a more diverse skillset than Reese at the forward position.

That will drop Reese's draft value and will likely cause her to be selected later in the first round than if she had declared for the draft with a different draft class.

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#2 Lack of shooting range

Perhaps the biggest flaw in Angel Reese's game is her lack of shooting range outside the paint. Under the basket, she's an outstanding rebounder and scorer. But once she extends her range outside the paint her weakness becomes evident.

She has shot just 32 total 3s in her career, connecting only five of those attempts. Her inability to develop her 3-point shot during her college career is something that will lower her WNBA draft stock.

Cameron Brink brings a similar skillset as Angel Reese to the draft this year. But her ability to shoot from mid range as well as beyond the arc on occasion makes Brink a more sought-after prospect.

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#3 WNBA teams will need to be patient

Reese's limited skillset outside of rebounding and low post-scoring will force WNBA teams to be patient with her development. That may present a task that certain teams might not want to take on when there are players who already possess a more diverse skillset.

The professional game moves at a much more rapid pace than in college, so having a more well-rounded game make players a more attractive prospect to be selected early in the draft.

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#4 LSU's returning players next season

The LSU Tigers could once again be title contenders next season. Had Angel Reese decided to stay for one final season, it could've shifted the Tigers back to title contenders.

Tigers stars like Aneesah Morrow, Flau'jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams and Sa'Myah Smith are eligible to return to LSU next season. That would bring back many key pieces that led the team to the Elite Eight this season before the Tigers ran into Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

If Angel Reese had chosen to return to LSU next season, the team would have developed even more chemistry and given Reese a shot at a second career title.

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#5 Slightly undersized

If Angel Reese wants to battle down low against opposing WNBA players, she will need to be prepared to go up against the top centers in the league. At six-foot-three, Reese is slightly undersized compared to the WNBA's top low-post players.

Reese's biggest draw for WNBA teams is her rebounding ability, but having to rebound against players like Teaira McCowan, Jonquel Jones, Aliyah Boston and Brittney Griner would be a tough task.

All these players measure between six-foot-five or taller. That's also where Reese's shooting range would have made her a better prospect for teams. They could have justified her being undersized if she had the ability to shoot from distance and drawn taller defenders out of the paint.

Which team do you think will select Angel Reese in the 2024 WNBA Draft? Let us know in the comments below.