After a strong rookie season in the WNBA, Angel Reese took her talents to Unrivaled. Joining the new 3-on-3 league has given Reese an opportunity to work on her game during the offseason while also competing with some of the best players in the WNBA.
Reese’s improvements in certain areas become obvious right from the start, but she has been playing especially well since the break earlier this month. So far, Reese has recorded five double-doubles, including four consecutive ones during the Rose’s impressive win streak.
In her last two games, Reese put up 22 points and 21 rebounds against the Lunar Owls and 23 points and 14 rebounds against the Phantom. She has been strong on the boards all season long, and her offensive improvements are becoming more and more obvious. After finishing her first WNBA season as an inefficient scorer, Reese has been converting the majority of her field goal attempts recently.
While Reese has evidently put in a lot of work, some of her success can also be attributed to Chelsea Gray’s presence. Gray currently leads Unrivaled in assists per game and, after some initial struggles, has formed an impressive duo with Reese. While Gray will suit up for the Las Vegas Aces in the 2025 WNBA season, this development is still good news for the Sky.
Angel Reese will benefit from playing with a high-level point guard in the WNBA
One of the big moves the Sky made this offseason was signing veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot, and Reese’s success in Unrivaled proves that this was the perfect decision. Reese needs a high-level playmaker to unlock her offensive game, and Vandersloot should be able to be just that for the Sky next season.
Vandersloot may have had a down year with the Liberty last season but is still one of the best traditional points guards and playmakers in the league. Just in 2023, she still averaged 8.1 assists per game. On top of that, she has plenty of experience and knows what it takes to win at the highest level. She was undoubtedly the most experienced and established point guard available in free agency.
While Unrivaled’s 3-on-3 style is much different than what the Sky will face in the WNBA, it is obvious that playing with one of the best point guards in the league has helped Reese blossom offensively. Vandersloot running the offense for Chicago should help Reese carry her improvements over to the WNBA.
There was never much doubt about Vandersloot’s fit in Chicago, but Reese’s success in Unrivaled and the smooth fit with Gray further proves that the Sky were right to sign in a point guard like Vandersloot rather than chasing a young guard to develop for the long-term. Even if Vandersloot is only there for a season, it will help with Reese’s development.