Angel Reese’s impressive rookie season with the Chicago Sky has come to a premature end after she announced she will miss the remainder of the WNBA season due to an injury. The 6'3" forward made history as the fifth rookie ever to average a double-double, finishing with 13.6 points and a league-leading 13.1 rebounds per game over 34 contests. Reese’s dominance on the boards saw her set a new WNBA record with 446 rebounds in a single season, including 26 double-doubles—the most ever by a rookie and the second most by any player in league history.
Despite these accomplishments, Reese’s offensive efficiency leaves room for improvement. She shot just 39.1% from the field and a mere 18.8% from three-point range, ranking 50th out of 55 qualified WNBA players in field goal percentage. While her grit and rebounding prowess are reminiscent of former NBA star Ben Wallace, Reese has yet to demonstrate the offensive consistency needed to elevate her game to a truly elite level and her team went 12-22 with her leading the way.
Comparisons to Indiana Fever rookie point guard Caitlin Clark are common, but ultimately misguided. Clark has not only been the frontrunner for WNBA Rookie of the Year, but she’s also in the MVP conversation. With 19.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game, Clark has singlehandedly transformed the Fever from a perennial bottom-dweller into a playoff contender. Her presence has skyrocketed jersey sales and increased viewership, and her leadership has taken Indiana from a seven-year playoff drought to a legitimate postseason team.
Clark’s impact goes far beyond the stat sheet—she is revolutionizing the women’s game like Steph Curry did on the NBA side. Reese, on the other hand, remains a strong rebounder but lacks the offensive efficiency and transformational impact that Clark brings. Until Reese improves her shooting and playmaking, comparisons between her and Clark will continue to fall short.
In case you think I’m biased or lying, know that Reese shot 44.5% (4.2 made on 9.4 attempts) on shots of five feet or less and converted an abysmal 11% of shots between five and nine feet from the rim.
Clark’s Fever will enter the postseason as a legitimate threat, making Clark a contender not only for Rookie of the Year (she closed the market at -3000 across multiple books) but also one of the league’s most valuable players, where she currently ranks only behind A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier.