A “new version” of Reese is dominating in Unrivaled

The WNBA is in a period of transformation, not just transition. With several new teams poised to enter the league over the next five years and a new collective bargaining agreement set to raise salaries around the league, there has never been a better time to get acquainted with the fiery personalities and supremely-talented players that make up The W.

Angel Reese has fast become one of the biggest names in women’s basketball, an inherently-marketable person who looked right at home during her rookie season with the Chicago Sky in 2024. As she continues to participate in an offseason 3-on-3 league, Reese’s peers are taking notice of the quiet improvements that the forward is making to her overall game.

Reese’s run of dominance in Unrivaled

Over the past week, Reese has gone on a tear for her team in Unrivaled, Rose BC — which now sits second in the six-team league’s standings.

Last Tuesday, Reese scored 19 points and hauled in 15 rebounds in a win over the Vinyl. Three days later, she became the first Unrivaled player to have a 20-20 game, when she scored 22 points to go along with 21 rebounds in a victory over the Lunar Owls. And on Monday, Reese led Rose to another win over Phantom BC, logging 23 points and 14 rebounds in the victory.

“I think you guys see Angel’s greatness obviously from college into her rookie season, and there’s parts of her game that she’s going to continue to hone in on,” Phantom guard and nine-year WNBA veteran Natasha Cloud told reporters.

Though Reese enjoyed a record-breaking rookie season and became a nightly double-double threat just weeks into her career, the former LSU standout dealt with social media abuse throughout her first year in The W — a continuation of an unfortunate problem that faced her in the NCAA.

But Reese has resolved not to let the critics tear her down. She continues to grow her media empire with a podcast and a slew of new sponsorships, including one with fast food giant McDonald’s. It seems like just a matter of time before Reese’s ambition takes over The W.

“She’s finishing now and she’s also taking a lot of leadership with a Rose team that has done a really good job of getting themselves back,” Cloud said.