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Sparks Coach Takes Bold Angel Reese Stance

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Parker Johnson | Last updated Jun 29, 2025 2:59 PM ET

The Los Angeles Sparks and the Chicago Sky meet on Sunday for the second time in the 2025 WNBA season.

It is a special occasion for Los Angeles, with the franchise retiring the No. 3 jersey of WNBA legend Candace Parker. Her jersey will also be retired by Chicago on Aug. 25.

In the first meeting between the Sparks and the Sky this season, a 96-87 win for Chicago on Tuesday, Angel Reese made a strong impression on Los Angeles' first-year head coach Lynne Roberts.

After witnessing Reese put up 18 points and 17 rebounds, Roberts was willing to take a stance that put the Sky's 23-year-old star among the best in history already.

"She is unbelievable on rebounding," Roberts told reporters on Saturday. "I know everyone talks about it and all the things, but she is as good as I have ever seen."

A California native, Roberts has spent the majority of her basketball career on the West Coast as a player and coach. She played with the Seattle Pacific Falcons and gained notoriety for recent NCAA Tournament runs as head coach of the Utah Utes.

Roberts also coached in California at Chico State and Pacific from 2002-2015 while Sparks legends Parker (third) and Lisa Leslie (sixth) were climbing up the list of WNBA's all-time rebounding leaders. Roberts said she believes Reese has the tools to reach their level.

ICON BEHAVIOR

In just 38 games, Angel Reese became the fastest in WNBA history to record 500 career points and rebounds. The Chi-Town Barbie passed Tina Charles (44 games). pic.twitter.com/HwHg6xGH0T
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 28, 2025

"It’s technique and it’s also desire," Roberts said of Reese. "You can talk about it, you can drill it, she still comes up with rebounds.”

Reese led the league in rebounding as a rookie in 2024 with 13.1 per game. This season, she ranks first in the WNBA once again with an average of 12.3 entering Sunday's game in Los Angeles.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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