NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith discussed the possibility of Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese being named Rookie of the Year after her incredible showing in the WNBA before the league went on an Olympic break.
“Angel Reese, she may be Rookie of the Year,” said Smith on ESPN’s “First Take on the Road,” seemingly rallying for the “Chi-Barbie” to win the award. “She’s special and let me tell you this right now, I don’t care what anybody says because she can play, she’s no scrub, she’s a walking double-double.”
Smith zeroed in on the young star’s marketability, having seen that she can boost the popularity of women’s basketball.
“Marketability matters and if you can have that girl on the team, make sure you do it because that’s gonna elevate the popularity of the sport and a rising tide lifts all boats,” the analyst added.
The Sky rookie is having a spectacular rookie season in the WNBA thus far, averaging 13.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Reese even set the new record for the longest double-double streak in a single season, surpassing the previous record set by WNBA legend Candace Parker, making her a formidable contender in the Rookie of the Year race alongside Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark.
Chicago is fourth in the Eastern Conference with a win-loss record of 10-14. They also rank eighth in the overall team standings, which means they are in danger of not making the playoffs if they don’t improve their record after the international break ends.
Reese and the Sky will be back in action once the Olympic break ends, facing the Phoenix Mercury on August 15.
Angel Reese enjoys poolside vacation after cheering for Team USA in the Olympics
Angel Reese looks to have made the most of the WNBA’s Olympic break. The Chicago Sky rookie shared an Instagram story of herself wearing a pink Gucci bikini. A fan of hers took screenshots and posted them on their X account for more Reese fans to see.
Reese can be seen lying down poolside in one screenshot, while the other picture shows her taking a mirror selfie.
Before sharing stories of her little poolside escapade, the former LSU Tiger was in Paris to cheer for the USA Women’s National Basketball Team. Despite missing the chance to represent the United States in the Olympics, Reese, along with fellow rookie Clark, became the first rookies since 2014 to receive the honor of playing with Team WNBA in the All-Star game in Phoenix on July 20. The All-Stars defeated the Olympians 117–109.
For more NBA content:
Follow me on X at @ErnestLeo, and follow us at @HardwoodHeroics. You can also reach out to Ernest Hernandez via email at [email protected]. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest NBA news, click here!
Ernest also handles a YouTube account called Sports On Air, which has over 102 thousand subscribers. The channel contains interviews predominantly from the Philippine Basketball Association. They can be reached through [email protected].
