Aug 28, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) reacts as she walks off the court after losing to the Phoenix Mercury at Phx Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

WNBA Legend Sends Strong Message About Angel Reese's Attitude

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 2:53 PM ET

Chicago Sky superstar Angel Reese has been excellent in her second WNBA season. While some might have thought it would have been hard to improve upon a rookie campaign in which Reese had the league in rebounds per game and set the WNBA record for most consecutive double-doubles (15), that's exactly what she has done.

Not only has Reese's point per game increased from 13.6 in 2024 to 14.4 in 2025, but she's still leading the league in rebounds per game, has nearly doubled her assists per game total (1.9 to 3.7, which is a byproduct of her orchestrating the Sky's offense more often), and has increased her field goal shooting percentage from 39.1% to 45.8%.

However, Reese's offensive strides haven't helped the Sky be better as a team. After finishing last season with a 13-27 record, Chicago is currently 9-29 and are therefore on pace to produce a worse campaign than Reese's rookie year.

Reese is used to winning. She did it during high school and in college, including her winning the 2023 NCAA national championship with the LSU Tigers. Therefore, she surely isn't happy about this constant losing across her first two WNBA campaigns.

WNBA Legend Cynthia Cooper Sends Message About Angel Reese

However, this losing hasn't negatively impacted Reese's attitude; at least according to four-time WNBA champion, four-time WNBA Finals MVP, and two-time WNBA MVP Cynthia Cooper, who praised Reese during an August 30 appearance on CBS Sports' We Need To Talk show.

"I need to give a shoutout to Angel Reese," Cooper said. "Angel Reese is just a workaholic. She just gets down to business. A lot of stuff has been thrown her way, she keeps her circle tight, and she stays focused on her game. She got help from Lisa Leslie; she'll get help from whoever she needs to in order to be a better player and a better person. I love what her mom is doing in her life.

"I love her energy out there on the court, and her competitive nature. She reminds me of me when I was starting out, and I just didn't care. Say what you want to say, I'm bringing my A-game tonight. You gonna have to stop me from getting all these rebounds... stop me if you can," Cooper added.

"I love that attitude of hers, and how she has continued to get better every single day," Cooper concluded of Reese.