Point Angel: Reese's playmaking growth a silver lining in Sky's season

Angel Reese returned to her roots this season.

Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh empowered the 6-foot-3 forward to handle the rock and initiate more of the team's offense.

It's similar to how Reese was used in high school when she was the top-ranked wing and No. 2 overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class behind Paige Bueckers.

The LSU product's ball-handling skills and court vision are better than most players her size, as she was initially a point guard before a growth spurt in middle school.

Chicago leaned on Reese to be its primary facilitator after veteran floor general Courtney Vandersloot suffered a season-ending ACL injury just seven games into the campaign. The two-time All-Star embraced her new responsibilities and has been happy to put her playmaking skills to use.

"It was just so much fun being able to play that point forward (role)," Reese told theScore at WNBA All-Star Weekend in July. "Being able to do a little bit of everything. ... Just being able to get back into that. I don't want to be one-dimensional.

"I want to be able to be somebody that's unguardable. I'm in this league to get better, and I want to win. But I also want to just continue to be here, sustain myself, and one day be an MVP because I'm surrounded by great players."

Reese's growth into an effective point forward has been a silver lining in the Sky's season. The Maryland native boasts a 20.5% assist percentage and averages 3.7 dimes, which is nearly double the amount from a year ago. She's registered at least five assists on seven occasions, including a career-high 11 en route to her maiden triple-double.

Marsh was previously an assistant with the Aces and envisioned running the club's half-court offense through Reese at the elbow, similarly to A'ja Wilson. The two players are fittingly the only ones tallying at least 10 points, 10 boards, and three assists per contest in the WNBA this season.

Reese isn't forcing as many shots, and that's led to more playmaking opportunities. When Reese gets walled up or doubled in the post, she's more than willing to find open shooters off the drive-and-kick or dump off passes to her frontcourt partner.

Reese continues to develop chemistry with fellow second-year big Kamilla Cardoso and veteran center Elizabeth Williams, assisting on 36 of their buckets this season. Reese frequently sets up both players on cuts, mid-range jumpers, and high-low feeds.

Reese's dominance on the defensive glass provides chances to grab and go in transition off missed shots and make outlet passes to teammates leaking ahead of the opposing defense.

"The ball is in my hands," Reese said. "I don't know what the (usage) percentage is right now, but it's a lot. ... I think it's cool to see that's the new norm. Look at (Nikola) Jokic. Look at Giannis (Antetokounmpo). Look at KD bringing the ball down. That's scary.

"Satou (Sabally) has talked a little bit about being a unicorn. That's just something I just want to continue to do and make that the standard of everything because that's just what we are now."

Reese credits her time at Unrivaled - the new offseason three-on-three women's basketball league co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart - for helping her take the next step this year.

The increased pace and spacing in the full-court three-on-three league gave Reese valuable ball-handling reps in both transition and the half court. She made quick reads while running the fast break and going one-on-one in isolation.

Reese' ability to create for others when driving downhill gives her more room to operate off the bounce and cleaner looks around the basket. The 23-year-old's finishing has also improved from her rookie campaign after working alongside WNBA legend Lisa Leslie at Unrivaled.

Reese is converting 40.6% of shots in the non-restricted area of the paint - a whopping 23.5% increase over last season - and 51.8% of her attempts at the rim. The former All-American's rising efficiency and development into the Sky's offensive hub earned Reese her second All-Star nod in as many seasons.

"It means everything for me," Reese said. "First year, it's much easier than this year because you go into the league where people know your game but not really.

"Year two, everybody knows your game, and it will show if you don't get better in that offseason. I definitely got better this offseason at Unrivaled as you can see. It took a minute to get it going. ... It's not supposed to be easy, but my work showed."

Reese's sophomore campaign hasn't been without some bumps in the road. The former SEC Player of the Year got off to a slow start, averaging only 9.1 points on 30.9% shooting through her first seven appearances.

Reese received hateful comments online, prompting teammate Ariel Atkins to come to her defense during a postgame press conference in June.

The eighth-year guard was acquired from the Washington Mystics in an offseason trade and has been a helpful addition to Chicago's locker room, especially for Reese as she worked through those early struggles.

"I love Ariel," Reese said. "Ariel is probably one of the best teammates I've ever had. She's a great vet for me. She's fun, but she also keeps it real, and I know she always has my back. She's not into all the social media stuff, but she'll stick up for me in a heartbeat.

"She's just been somebody that's always been a shoulder that I can always lean on, cry on, laugh with. ... I know I can always ride with Ariel no matter what. She's just a huge supporter of me."

Reese is already leaving her mark as her second WNBA season draws to a close.

She broke the all-time single-season rebounding record as a rookie and surpassed Tina Charles for the most doubles-doubles through a player's first two campaigns. She's also the second-youngest player in league history to register a triple-double.

Reese knows she'll be subject to online negativity, regardless of how much success she achieves. But instead, Reese chooses to focus on her craft and becoming the best player she can be.

"Just staying grounded. Keeping the main thing the main thing," Reese said of her approach. "I'm really blessed. I pray a lot. I have long nights. I have long car rides where I just drive and smile or drive and cry or drive and pray. I think it's just a part of the process. It's a part of the moment for me.

"I've always been a person that can just trust God, trust everything that I go through, and never be too down on myself. … It took me a couple of months after I won a national championship to get acclimated to this new life."

Reese added, "Sometimes people ask me, 'Do I wish I had a normal life?' I mean, yeah, sometimes. But at the same time, it comes with benefits. It comes with great things. And I'm really blessed. I'm really grateful for everything."