Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese continues to captivate colleagues and fans with her scintillating performances on the basketball court. Reese is enjoying an excellent start to her professional career. The former LSU superstar is one of the leading candidates to win the coveted Rookie of the Year award.
Reese earned lavish praise from Las Vegas Aces' superstar A'ja Wilson ahead of Chicago Sky's game against the defending champions on Thursday. Wilson marveled at Reese, who is currently on a historic run in the WNBA. The 22-year-old has an active streak of eight consecutive games with a double-double, which is the most by a rookie in league history.
Wilson lauded Reese for seamlessly transitioning from college to the pros. The reigning WNBA Finals MVP also applauded Angel Reese's consistent production for Chicago under bright spotlight.
"It's huge. I feel like I said it around the Super Bowl. I was just like that is going to be Angel's biggest thing: translation.' Translating over from college to the pros is just rebounding the basketball. She has a knack for it and that's not what a lot of people have. So, it's pretty cool to kind of see her flourish in that situation and flourish in life," Wilson told reporters on Monday.
"I know there's a lot that could be on her. A lot that could be around her, but she still still comes in and is consistent for her team. So that's huge. You don't see that in a lot of rookies. I'm grateful that she's doing that in her own journey and in her own way," she added.
Angel Reese has been vocal about her admiration for A'ja Wilson. After leading Chicago to a thrilling 88-87 win over Indiana Fever on Sunday, Reese spoke about Wilson's impact on her.
"I love A’ja [Wilson]. She mentored me when I was in Maryland. Just Continuing to watch her game," Reese told reporters.
Becky Hammon in awe of Angel Reese's improvement
Las Vegas Aces' coach Becky Hammon joined Wilson in acknowledging Angel Reese's phenomenal performances this season. Hammon spoke highly about the Sky rookie and shed light on the rising superstar's drastic improvements in different aspects of the game.
"Her shooting and her finishing has improved drastically. She's put in a lot of work. Her free throws look good. Her form. Everything looks good. She's doing something right," Hammon said.
Reese put on a masterclass against Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever on Sunday. The Sky rookie scored 25 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, leading her team to an emphatic victory.
The 22-year-old is averaging 13.2 points and 11.1 rebounds through 15 games this season. Angel Reese leads the league in the offensive rebound category, averaging 4.7 offensive boards per game.
The rookie ranks second in rebounds per game (11.1) and only trails leading MVP candidate A'ja Wilson.