Her rookie season was one to remember. A record-setting 15 consecutive double-doubles, a spot in the All-Star Game, and more. But for Angel Reese, all of those personal accolades didn’t mean much because they didn’t help the Sky get to the playoffs.
Reese watched with her own eyes as the New York Liberty celebrated the 2024 WNBA championship, and it made her feel hungry for that moment with the Sky.
Stream NBC 5 for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
WATCH HERE“I sat courtside at the Finals, and feeling that confetti come down, and knowing, ‘That could be us,’” Reese told Mike Berman on Thursday in a one-on-one interview. “That’s a feeling I want to feel. Winning is the biggest thing to me. Individual accolades, everybody always asks, ‘What do you want to achieve this year, what do you want to achieve this year?’ I want to win. I want to make the playoffs. I’ve won at every level, and just being able to be here in this moment with this great team and this great organization, there’s no better time than now."
Ahead of her second season with the Sky – which starts with a blockbuster game Saturday against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever – Reese told NBC 5 she’s hired a chef so she can eat better, and she’s spending more time doing recovery work to keep her body as healthy as possible. There’s no shortage of motivation to prove her first season in the “W” was just the beginning, and that her game can reach another level.
“I think I had a great season, but obviously I want to get better. I’m probably my biggest critic. Nobody has to tell me anything I need to get better at – I’m my biggest person in the mirror, and I look myself in the mirror and say, ‘You can still be better,’” Reese said.
“And I think I’ve done a lot of great things – obviously my rookie year I set a lot of records, made some history, had fun at All-Star, did a lot of great things, but if you look back at the same things that were good yesterday, today things aren’t going to be as good. That’s something Kim [Mulkey] told me. Just trying to be the best version of myself, giving myself grace and just knowing the work will show,” the 23 year-old added.
Chicago Sports
Reese’s first year in the league came under Teresa Weatherspoon, who she was close with, but she says she’s really enjoyed working with new Sky head coach Tyler Marsh. Marsh is asking Reese to expand her game – to show even more of her skillset – and he’s not rushing her to feel comfortable doing it, which she appreciates.
“He’s very patient, and that’s something I need to work on – just not wanting results right away,” Reese said. “I’ve given myself grace going into year two, like, you can’t expect results right away. Obviously, I’m playing a new role now – things that I’ve done before, but showing more of my ballhandling skills, being able to pass the ball a lot, taking people coast to coast, being able to work on my midrange – so I think just being able to have a coach that really trusts and believes in you and also instills a lot of patience in you is super important.”
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the news you need to know with the Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
SIGN UP Some of Reese’s habits may have changed, her coach may have changed, but one thing that never changes is her popularity. She continues to be conscious of the opportunity she has to inspire the next generation of women’s basketball stars.
“I know there’s a little girl out there that has probably taken a picture with me that may go to LSU and follow my footsteps and win a national championship and possibly come to Chicago too,” said Reese. “It gives me chills just to know how much of an inspiration all of us are.”
