4 ways Angel Reese can rise above Caitlin Clark in their second WNBA seasons

When basketball fans think of Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark's name isn't too far behind. The opposite holds true as well, as the WNBA 2024 Draft classmates will be compared to one another for their entire careers.

The talent in the WNBA has exploded into life since the arrival of Angel Reese and her biggest rival, Caitlin Clark. Clark got the better of Reese last season, but the Chicago Sky forward will do everything to ensure that won't happen next season.

Until she was sidelined for the remainder of the WNBA season in early September with a wrist injury, Reese was in the running for the league's Rookie of the Year award. She had a standout performance in her first professional season, but the Chicago Sky can do four things to help Reese take her game to another level in her second WNBA campaign. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

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Angel Reese did most of her damage in the paint as a rookie. However, she shot just 39 percent from the field. PBP Stats went even deeper, noting that as of late August, she was only shooting 46 percent on shots at the rim.

PBP stats also noted that out of 171 players who took as many shots as Reese did at the rim, only four shot a lower percentage dating back to 2009. This confirms what the eye test shows as well, as the former LSU star struggled to finish right under the cup.

Professional basketball players are no stranger to drills that involve assistant coaches simulating contact with pads. Reese will need to take her time to gather and go back up with a shot, or feel more comfortable absorbing contact from nearby defenders.

Marca highlighted the struggles Reese had as a free throw shooter in May, but she ended up shooting a respectable 73 percent from the line as a rookie. It shows that Reese has the ability to improve as a mid-range shooter, and the Sky would be well served pairing her up with someone who can get the best out of her in this regard.

The Sky traded guard Marina Mabrey to the Connecticut Sun midway through the season, which changed the dynamic of their team. Mabrey averaged a team-high 4.5 assists in Chicago before being moved. Chicago did receive a first-round draft pick in 2025 according to ESPN, but this appeared to hurt their team in the short term.

Reese is not the type of player who will create her own offense at this point in her career. In order to get the most out of her on the offensive end, the Sky will need a facilitator who will consistently get Reese the ball in spots where she can do damage.

The Sky ranked second to last in the WNBA in average assists per game during the 2024 season, further underscoring the point.

Chicago would be well served trying to make a play for veteran guards like Kelsey Plum or Courtney Vandersloot, who have played on winning teams and have experience playing in a system that emphasizes ball movement.

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The Sky doubled down on their frontcourt during the 2024 WNBA Draft, selecting Reese and Kamilla Cardoso with two of the top seven picks. Both are valuable assets to the team, but the Sky might want to think about how they deploy them throughout the season.

We'll get more into it in a second, but Reese is already arguably the best rebounder in the WNBA. She cleans the glass by herself at a remarkable rate. Having Cardoso in there for a similar role alongside Reese for extended minutes may not always make sense. Reese gives Chicago the flexibility to play a smaller, quicker lineup against teams with shiftier players.

In order to establish a presence in the paint, it might make sense to start both Cardoso and Reese, but their playing time can be adjusted so that each plays primary center minutes throughout the game.

Cardoso brings elite shot-blocking ability with her 6'7" frame, which is something that Reese does not specialize in at this point in time. However, Reese plays the game with boundless energy, so it's not a leap to think that she could protect the rim adequately when Cardoso is sitting on the bench.

Before she got hurt, ESPN noted that Reese had set the WNBA's single-season rebounding record, which Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson would ultimately reclaim for herself. Still, the prodigious rate at which she was hauling boards in was something to be celebrated. The Sky can tap into this further moving forward.

Reese averaged 13.1 rebounds per game as a rookie, which is an insane number. In order to continue to get Reese to improve, the Sky should set sky-high (pun intended) goals for her, so that she continues to have something to strive for. For example, maybe the team challenges her to get to 15 rebounds per game in 2025.

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While pursuing individual goals in scoring can work to the detriment of the team, rebounding aims are generally pretty positive. Reese already crashes the glass pretty hard; if she is 20 percent better as a rebounder in year two, the Sky will be better off for it.