Tag: LSU in WNBA

Paul Skenes and Angel Reese both find ways to exceed expectations

Paul Skenes and Angel Reese entered pro ball with high expectations. Both are finding ways to exceed them.

One of the hardest things to do in sports is to exceed high expectations. Part of that is the pressure and attention that comes with it. There’s also the regression element. If only a few outcomes meet the expectations, it’s more likely an athlete falls short.

[autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] and [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] both accomplished everything there was to accomplish at the college level. They were All-Americans as individuals and both led their team a title.

Both were among the first players off the board in their respective drafts, with Skenes going No. 1 overall. The two both draw attention away from the field and court too, owning impressive social media followings.

A lot of athletes would struggle to meet the expectations in these circumstances. Skenes and Reese are finding ways to blow by them. Reese leads the WNBA in rebounds while leading all rookies in win shares. Skenes is the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year in the NL. Both are already All-Stars.

This is a good look for LSU. Neither athlete began their career with the Tigers but both arrived in Baton Rouge looking to take the next step. They did just that.

Both athletes just have something about them. You can’t put your finger on it, but you know it’s special. It was evident on their national championship runs in 2023 and it’s even clearer now.

Of course, this success comes as no surprise to LSU fans who watched them play. Skenes and Reese faced high-pressure moments throughout their college careers and found a way to deliver nearly every time.

They haven’t yet reached those same heights at the professional level, but it looks like they’re on their way.

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Angel Reese sets WNBA record with 13th consecutive double-double

Angel Reese made WNBA history on Sunday night with her record 13th consecutive double-double.

[autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] is now in a league of her own.

With a 17-point, 14-rebound performance in a Chicago Sky loss to the Seattle Storm, Reese notched her 13th consecutive double-double in a row, surpassing Candace Parker for the most of any player in WNBA history. Reese had previously set the single-season consecutive double-doubles record.

Reese has had a huge rookie season, earning WNBA All-Star honors as she’s currently averaging a double-double with 13.9 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. She’s also on pace to set the league’s rookie record for double-doubles in a single season and is currently tied for fifth all-time in rookie double-doubles.

Reese and the Sky will be back in action on Wednesday to face the Atlanta Dream as she looks to extend the record.

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ESPN analyst thinks Angel Reese deserves WNBA Rookie of the Year over Caitlin Clark

Angel Reese is pushing Caitlin Clark for top rookie honors amid a record-setting stretch to begin her career.

The rivalry between [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] and [autotag]Caitlin Clark[/autotag] which started in college has continued in the WNBA, and the pair of top 10 picks are arguably the two biggest rookie standouts in the league this year.

Clark is currently the favorite to take home the Rookie of the Year Award, but Reese is making a strong case as she has currently tied the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles with 12 and could break it on Sunday with her 13th.

Those odds are closing, and ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck made the case for Reese to win Rookie of the Year over Clark, pointing at her efficiency stats — namely, her plus/minus.

“It is a thin, thin line,” Peck said. “It’s really tight, but when you look at where the teams are. And I also went a little deeper and I looked at plus/minus and I also look at NET rating. When you look at that, Angel Reese has to get the nod.

“Now, I know it’s not a popular position to take because Angel Reese has to do the dirty work. I have said. It’s not sexy to have to battle and rebound inside where you have to do the blue-collar work. But this is a player that has come in as a rookie and is putting up grown woman numbers. 12 double-doubles in a row in one season, so, when you see a young woman come in like that and do that, I would have to give the nod with her efficiency rating and also plus/minus.”

Reese is averaging a double-double on the year and is on pace to set the WNBA record for the most in a season. Whether she can edge Clark for the postseason award remains to be seen, but all signs point to her being a star in the league for a long time.

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Angel Reese ties WNBA consecutive double-doubles record with 12th in a row

Angel Reese matched the record set by Candace Parker and has a chance to break it on Sunday night.

[autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] already holds the WNBA single-season record for double-doubles in a row, which is currently active. Now, she’s on the cusp of setting an even more impressive record.

With 27 points and 10 rebounds in a win over the Seattle Storm on Friday night, Reese notched her 12th double-double in a row. That tied the record set by Candace Parker, which extended from the end of the 2011 season into the beginning of the 2012 season.

Reese has been a star for the Chicago Sky as a rookie, earning All-Star honors while also pushing Caitlin Clark for the Rookie of the Year Award.

Reese has proven to be a force in the paint the likes of which the league hasn’t seen in a while, and she could set the record when the Sky face Seattle again on Sunday.

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Angel Reese had an emotional reaction after learning she made WNBA All-Star team

Angel Reese fought tears as she discussed becoming a WNBA All-Star in her first season.

Former LSU women’s basketball star [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] and the Chicago Sky ended a two-game losing streak with a win over the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday night, but that wasn’t the only good news Reese got that night.

Following the game, she learned that she was selected to the WNBA All-Star team alongside fellow rookie star Caitlin Clark. Reese is averaging a double-double on the season and was named the WNBA Rookie of the Month as she is in the middle of a league-record streak of 11 consecutive double-doubles.

Reese became emotional at her post-game press conference when discussing the accolade.

“They just told me I’m an All-Star,” Reese said. “I’m just so happy. I know the work I put in. Coming into this league, so many people doubted me and didn’t think my game would translate and I wouldn’t be the player that I was in college or better or would be worse or wouldn’t be where I am right now. But I trusted the process and I believed, and I’m thankful that I dropped to seven and was able to come to Chicago.

“It’s just a blessing. I can’t thank my teammates and my coaches enough for believing in me and trusting me. I know all of them are gonna come to Phoenix and support me so I’m really happy right now.”

There were certainly some who doubted how Reese’s game would translate, but she has been the physical force in the paint that helped lead the Tigers to a national title in 2023. Now, she’s a budding star at the next level, as well.

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Angel Reese named WNBA Rookie of the Month

Angel Reese was also named a WNBA All-Star.

Former LSU women’s basketball star [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] has picked up where she left off since joining the WNBA ranks.

She was named to the All-Star team on Tuesday alongside rookie star Caitlin Clark as she currently holds the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles, a streak that sits at 11 games and remains active. However, she also beat out Clark for WNBA Rookie of the Month honors on Tuesday.

Reese is averaging a double-double on the season and averaged 14.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in the month of June. Reese currently leads the WNBA with 12 double-doubles and is on pace to set the single-season record of 22 as there are 23 games remaining in the season.

Reese will hope to continue her dominance as she pushes Clark for Rookie of the Year honors. Clark currently has the best odds, but Reese is closing in on her.

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LSU’s Angel Reese earns WNBA All-Star honors as a rookie

The queen of double-doubles in the WNBA has been recognized as an All-Star in her first season with the Chicago Sky.

The queen of double-doubles in the WNBA has been recognized as an All-Star in her first season with the Chicago Sky.

[autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft by the [autotag]Chicago Sky[/autotag]. Since then, she has shined as she has registered 11 consecutive double-doubles (which is a new WNBA single-season record) and has averaged 13.3 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game. In her latest appearance for the Sky, Reese finished the game with 12 points and 19 rebounds as the Sky beat Atlanta 85-77.

Along with that, Angel was named the [autotag]WNBA Rookie of the Month[/autotag] for June as she averaged 14.5 points per game and 13.2 rebounds per game.

Reese has been a polarizing figure in the NCAA and the WNBA. It seems as though fans either love her or hate her. There is no in-between. It has been fun watching her succeed in the WNBA and now her sights are set on Rookie of the Year.

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Angel Reese makes WNBA history with 10th straight double-double

Angel Reese made history with another double-double on Sunday.

Former LSU star and current Chicago Sky forward [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] made history with her 10th straight double-double on Sunday. Reese set the single-season record for consecutive double-doubles, surpassing Candace Parker’s previous record of nine, set in 2015.

Reese hauled in 16 rebounds to go along with 10 points on Sunday, though the Sky came up short, falling 70-62 to the Minnesota Lynx.

Reese was a double-double machine at LSU and so far, she’s had no trouble translating that to the WNBA. Her 11.4 rebounds per game lead the league and it’s a number impressive enough to keep her in the rookie of the year race with Caitlin Clark.

With 13.3 points per game, Reese is proving she can score the basketball too. She’s far from her ceiling, which means she could be on her way to being one of the best players in the league.

Reese fell to the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, but a few teams are regretting passing on her talents.

Reese ranks 16th in the league in win shares per 40 minutes. That’s the best mark on the Sky and leads all rookies.

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Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark WNBA showdown was most-watched game in 23 years

Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark continue to draw huge audiences at the professional level.

It’s clear that the influx of new star talent into the WNBA from this year’s draft class is bringing quite a bit of attention to the league, and the latest showdown between rookie stars and former college rivals [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] and Caitlin Clark made some more history.

After record-breaking matchups in college, the two are continuing to set marks at the professional level as the matchup between the two in Sunday’s Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever game was the WNBA’s most-watched in 23 years, according to ESPN.

The audience averaged 2.3 million viewers across the game, with the broadcast on ESPN peaking at a total of 3.3 million.

The college rivalry between the two players has continued with quite a bit of fanfare, and we should see plenty more matchups pitting the pair of Rookie of the Year candidates against each other.

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Angel Reese makes more history in Sky’s win over Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever

Angel Reese continued to impress as the Chicago Sky took down Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in a battle of rookie stars.

[autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] continues to impress during her rookie WNBA campaign, and she made a strong case for Rookie of the Year against fellow top contender Caitlin Clark on Sunday.

Reese scored 25 points with 16 rebounds, becoming the first Chicago Sky rookie to score 20+ points and 15+ rebounds in a game. She was also the first WNBA rookie to score 25+ points and 15+ rebounds since A’ja Wilson in 2018.

She also came in clutch on Sunday as the Sky beat Clark and the Indiana Fever 87-88. With the game tied at 84 in the final minute, Reese made a key basket to give Chicago the lead as it held on to win.

Reese is averaging 12.4 points and 10.8 rebounds on the season, and she has a good chance to be named the league’s Rookie of the Year, though Clark likely remains the favorite.

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