NEWSLETTER
The new face of the Chicago Sky franchise officially arrived on Wednesday.
Angel Reese met with media members at the Sachs Recreation Center in Deerfield. The former LSU standout and NCAA National Champion is only nine days removed from hearing her name called with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. The Sky selected her alongside South Carolina star Kamilla Cardoso, whose dominant run to her own NCAA title helped earn her a top 3 selection.
Taking questions from media members, Reese sounded the right mix of humble and confident. She expressed an understanding of the hard work that rests ahead as the Sky look to rebuild.
The organization put a lot of stock into this year’s draft after choosing to trade All-Star Kahleah Copper in the offseason. Not to mention, head coach and front office leader James Wade left the franchise midway through the 2023 season. Wade was part of the decision to mortgage future draft capital for Marina Mabrey before he left, and it was the new front office’s decision to move Copper that helped restore some of that future flexibility.
“I’m ready,” Angel Reese told reporters (h/t Mike McGraw) I think I’ve been in moments like this before. I have a great team, my family is behind me, and the Sky have been amazing being able to understand that – I’m only a rookie – but they have a lot of expectations for me.”
One of those expectations will be to serve as a defensive anchor. Reese became a star at the collegiate level for his hustle, defensive versatility, and ability to crash the glass. Few players possess the same raw athleticism and size at the wing as Reese. However, with the Chicago Sky also having Kamilla Cardoso in the frontcourt now, the door will swing open for Reese to play more along the perimeter on both ends.
When asked a great question by Stephen PridGeon-Garner about how she plans to fit into the equation this year, Reese stressed that she hopes to lean on her defensive prowess:
“Just kind of being the player I was coming out of high school. I was more of a wing. So being able to transfer back into that and, honestly, I’m a great defender. And defense leads to offense. I know if my offensive game isn’t going, I can get going on defense. So being able to rebound, being able to guard all five positions is something I really look forward to.”
Indeed, if there is any concern about the Chicago Sky’s new young tandem, it’s the fact that neither possesses a proven jumper. Reese was a downhill player who relied on her physicality and explosiveness around the rim to score. Cardoso is a six-foot-seven center who can love to overpower people in the post. While these two should dominant teams defensively and on the glass, they’re going to have to figure out how not to occupy the same area of the floor on offense.
The good news is that Reese sounds just as motivated to make things work as she is excited to be in Chicago! For more on Reese, I encourage you to check out PridGeon-Garner’s thread here. Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune also shared a great clip of Angel Reese discussing how honored she is to now call herself a WNBA player below.
