It’s nearly impossible to talk about certain basketball players’ games without bringing up additional baggage. That’s true in the NBA with players like Draymond Green, and it’s true in the WNBA with Angel Reese. Reese only just began her second season as a pro, and though she led the league in rebounding as a rookie last year, all anyone ever wants to talk about is her rivalry with Caitlin Clark.
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Those discussions often stray into delicate, racially charged waters that aren’t fair to either player, but if people would focus on Reese’s game, they’d find a lot to like.
Matt Barnes said on the newest episode of the All the Smoke podcast that he got to see Reese play in person for the first time recently, and he came away extremely impressed.
“No matter how much s*** people talk about her, she has a huge fanbase,” Barnes said. “She works her f***** a** off on the boards. Whether she’s rebounding her shot or not, she’s rebounding, and she plays with a motor.”
Barnes referenced in the quote above a criticism of Reese that she pads her rebounding stats by going after her own shots, but he believes her offensive game will reach the same level as her rebounding in time.
“Some people’s offensive repertoire comes in the league ready for that league, whether it be NBA or WNBA. She’ll get her offensive situation down, but she’s nearly at a double-double consistently. I think the hate and criticism she takes is more from people that just want to talk s*** and don’t necessarily watch the game and see that there is definitely potential there.”
Reese is again leading the league in rebounding, but she’s also again struggling with her offensive efficiency. Her Chicago Sky has limped to an 0-4 start.
Angel Reese and the Sky need to be worthy foils
It really is impossible to talk about Reese without talking about the rivalry with her archnemesis Clark. Reese got the upper hand on the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer in college, when her LSU Tigers beat Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes for the national championship in 2024.
The rivalry has only intensified in the pros. Reese was called for a flagrant foul on Clark last year for decking her on a drive to the basket. Later in the season she was seen smiling and cheering when her teammate Chennedy Carter shouldered Clark to the floor, drawing a flagrant of her own.
In their first meeting this season, Clark was called for a flagrant for a hard strip attempt after Reese got an offensive rebound by shoving Fever forward Natasha Howard in the back. Reese came after Clark and had to be restrained as Clark walked away.
Reese has refused to answer questions from the media about Clark.
This kind of stuff is definitely good for ratings and for gaining mainstream attention on shows like First Take. It’s not all great though, as Reese was allegedly the target of some racist fan comments. A WNBA investigation was unable to verify if anything of that nature had actually taken place.
The Fever made the playoffs last year and are one of the betting favorites to win the WNBA title this year. They’ve gotten off to a 2-2 start but will be without Clark for at least two weeks as she recovers from a strained quad. The Sky is in a much worse position, as three of their four losses have come by at least 13 points.
The Fever beat the Sky by 35 in the opening game of the season, and they won three of four last year. If this rivalry is going to remain interesting, it’s going to need to be more competitive. That starts with Reese, who is shooting only 31% from the floor so far.
Reese needs to round out her offensive game, but as Barnes said, not every player is ready to carry the offensive load right when they turn pro. if she works as hard at her shooting as she already does her rebounding, this rivalry could carry the WNBA for the next decade.
