There’s no question that Angel Reese has been having a strong season in her first WNBA campaign, but one aspect of her game has raised some eyebrows especially amid her current shooting slump
While Reese has been a double-double machine this year, the numbers, according to Sporting News, point to an issue with the LSU product’s ability to finish layups.
Reese has been shooting 43.8 percent from within 5 feet of the basket this season, which is well below the league average of 59.6 percent, and that’s only become more apparent as she’s struggled with her jump shot as well.
The seventh overall pick in this year’s draft has only been knocking down 18 percent of 3-pointers and 31 percent of mid-range shots.
Reese is coming off a game in which she had 11 points and 22 rebounds, recording her 22nd double-double of the season and becoming the first WNBA play to record at least 20 rebounds in three straight games.
But at the same time, Reese had shot 4-for-16 from the field in what was a 77-75 loss for the Sky to the Aces.
The struggles have drawn its fair share of criticism, with even Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy trolling Reese on social media over it.
Sky teammate, however, Chennedy Carter stuck up for Reese in comments after the latest loss on Sunday.
“Angel’s down there battling, she’s trying to get some foul calls, playing strong, playing hard, those are the things you need,” Carter told reporters. “She had an incredible game no matter if she finished at the rim. She’s doing the things that we need her to do in order for us to be successful. Regardless of the outcome, we’re a team, we’re young, we’re growing, and these are situations that we can learn from.”
The Sky have struggled since the end of the Olympic break, dropping four of their past five games.
As of now, they sit in eighth place in the standings.