Angel Reese set for massive sophomore WNBA season after another Unrivaled gem

Rose forward Angel Reese's monster game in Monday's win against the Phantom could be a sign of things to come.

The 2023 NCAA champion at LSU scored 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 1-of-4 from deep, and added 14 rebounds and five assists in a 71-59 win over the Phantom.

Reese has back-to-back 20-point games in the 3v3 league. On Friday, she propelled the Rose to a 72-63 win over the Lunar Owls, who suffered their first loss of the season, finishing with 22 points and 21 rebounds. It was the first 20-20 game recorded in Unrivaled this season.

In 10 Unrivaled games, Reese has averaged 13.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.

Her impressive showing in Miami is a promising sign for her WNBA squad, the Sky. After Monday's win, Reese shouted out the franchise in an on-court interview with TNT Sports' Taylor Rooks.

"I'm just trying to get better every single day," Reese said. "I just want to put the work in every day because I don't want to ever feel like I'm out of work."

"The work gon' show. And I'm excited to get back to Chicago," she added, exclaiming, "Go Sky" as she left the court.

Reese's historic rookie season was cut short when she broke her wrist on Sept. 6. Before her injury, Reese averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. In July, she set the WNBA single-season record for most consecutive double-doubles (15).

Chicago has made a concerted effort to field a competitive roster this offseason. On Sunday, the team added Mystics guard Ariel Atkins, sending the No. 3 pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft to Washington.

In 2024, Atkins, a two-time All-Star and five-time All-Defense team member, averaged 14.9 points on 43.7% shooting, including 35.7% from beyond the arc.

Earlier in the offseason, the Sky signed free agent guard Kia Nurse and acquired guard Rebecca Allen in a trade with the Sun.

Nurse, a 2019 All-Star, averaged 7.6 points per game last season. Following the mid-season Paris Olympics break, she had 44.7/37.9/84.2 shooting splits. In 18 games, Allen averaged 7.4 points on 42.1% shooting and made 1.4 threes on 3.9 attempts (35.7%) per game.

The Sky were criticized for firing head coach Teresa Witherspoon, who did an admirable job leading a rebuilding team last season, going 13-27. They also allowed 2024 breakout star Chennedy Carter to become a free agent. While she remains available, Chicago's front-court additions decrease the likelihood Carter returns.

While the ancillary parts around Reese have changed, she's the same dominant post presence she was the last time we saw her on a WNBA court.

Reese's fantastic winter portends big things for her second season, which begins in May. By the time it starts, she might already be in mid-season form.