Tyler Marsh outlined his season plans for Angel Reese during Chicago Sky media day two months ago.
“We don’t want Angel to just be a rebounder because she’s so much more than that,” the first-year Sky coach said May 12 at Intentional Sports on the West Side.
Marsh’s vision for the offense was to spread the floor, increase long-range shooting and lift pressure off his post players.
The Sky (7-15) have shown flashes of potential heading into the WNBA All-Star break. It centers around Reese’s improvement after some early struggles.
“I just trust my work,” Reese said Saturday after the Sky’s win over the Minnesota Lynx. “I put in the work every day and I can’t get down on myself missing shots. When I have teammates that put a lot of confidence in me to take shots I (wasn’t) comfortable taking before, it makes my job easier.”
Reese’s first 10 games were rough. She averaged 10.4 points on 33.7% shooting. The 6-foot-3 forward hauled in 11.9 rebounds per game during that stretch, but her lack of impact beyond the glass affected the team.
The Sky shot 40.5% overall and 29.6% from 3-point range. Paired with 18 turnovers per game, they sputtered to a 3-7 start and had a minus-114 point differential with six double-digit losses — including three by 25 points or more.
The offense struggled to find its identity. Reese and center Kamilla Cardoso were forced into post-only roles, leading to empty possessions, one-shot trips and child’s play for opposing defenses.
The second-year forward needed a spark. Then veteran Ariel Atkins grabbed the mic.
After a June 10 loss to the New York Liberty, Reese was asked about the scrutiny she has received online during her career. She said she “never had an encounter in person that was negative” and that “people are online behind a keyboard for a reason.”
Atkins was displeased.
“This is a 23-year-old kid (and) the amount of crap she gets on a day-to-day basis and she still shows up.” Atkins said. “(She) handles herself with grace. Her crown is heavy.”
It seemed like a seasoned pro just sticking up for her young teammate. In reality, it was the confidence boost Reese needed.
“She’s always been there for me and has been a big sister to me,” Reese said of Atkins after the win over the Lynx. “(She’s) someone that you always want to have around in the locker room.”
In Reese’s last 11 games — she sat out Wednesday’s blowout home loss to the Atlanta Dream because of a leg injury — she averaged 17.2 points, 13.3 rebounds and four assists. The stretch included eight games in which she shot 50% or better, six games with 15-plus rebounds, four games with five assists or more and a 63.1% true shooting percentage.
The Sky went 4-7 in those games, but the offense improved with the growth of Reese’s play, shooting 45.6% overall and 36.3% from 3. And they were more competitive, dropping their point differential to minus-31.
Reese’s injury — Marsh described her absence Wednesday as precautionary — leaves her status in doubt for Saturday’s All-Star Game in Indianapolis. Averaging 14 points and a league-high 12.6 rebounds, she was selected as an All-Star reserve for the second consecutive season.
Marsh said he sounded like a “broken record” speaking about Reese.
“There’s probably not a spot on the floor where I haven’t used her yet, and we’ll continue to do so,” he said Wednesday. “That’s really been the vision, (to create) space and opportunity for her to utilize all of the gifts and the strengths and abilities she has.
“She’s that good and she’s that capable.”
Barring a second-half turnaround, the Sky are on track to miss the playoffs for a second straight season, sitting in 11th place in the 13-team WNBA. Any hopes of clawing their way into postseason contention will go through Reese.