Welcome to the WNBA, Angel Reese. No champion can say they don’t welcome the battles without having the battle scars as proof. The Sky’s rookie continues to play steadily with the Chicago Sky during their 86-82 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Saturday night. Reese had a couple of hard falls at the hands of veteran forward Alyssa Thomas. The last tumble was from a Flagrant 2 penalty, resulting in Thomas’ ejection from the contest.  

It’s like Alyssa Thomas was deliberately trying to take Angel Reese out. She’s notorious for playing like this & could’ve seriously injured Angel. Alyssa shouldn’t have even joined the #WNBA & should’ve gone into the WWE instead because this is ridiculous. It’s embarrassing… pic.twitter.com/oq8aporAQb

— Sha Hartley (@shahartley) May 26, 2024

Media and fans posted negative commentary about the level of physicality of Thomas’ play, but Reese’s postgame remarks shed a different light. “It’s not just because I’m a rookie,” Angel Reese said. “I’m a player. I’m a basketball player. They don’t give a damn if I’m a rookie. I mean, I want them to come at me every day. I want them to come at everybody. I mean, they’re not supposed to be nice to me. I hope you all know that.”   

Angel Reese on that hard foul by Alyssa Thomas which led to an ejection: “They don’t give a damn if I’m a rookie. … They’re not supposed to be nice to me. … Thank you AT for sending a message to me because I got back up and I kept going.” pic.twitter.com/tZUsMjSm8g

— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) May 26, 2024

Whether people agree or not, basketball is a contact sport in which hard and tough fouls occur by accident and on purpose. “They’re not supposed to be nice to me or lay down because I’m Angel Reese or because I’m a rookie. Like, thank you, AT, for sending the message to me because I got back up, and I kept going, and kept and kept pushing. Like, me and AT have been cool since we were in Maryland. So I know it’s no hard feelings, and I appreciate her for going out here every day for today.”

Angel Reese tonight

13 points
5 rebounds
44% FG

pic.twitter.com/HA4txsGgdT

— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) May 26, 2024

Reese finished the highly competitive matchup against Thomas with 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal.   After four professional games, the rookie forward has averaged 12.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.5 assists.  

One aspect of her game you can admire, is her willingness to clash and extend playing time. Reese’s minutes have gone from 26, 25, 31, to 33, as head coach Teresa Weatherspoon is developing trust in her young player.

No. 3-draft pick Kamilla Cardoso is nursing a shoulder injury and should be ready to join the team in a few weeks.  Her return could potentially bring a significant boost to the team’s performance, adding depth and strength to the roster.

The Mystics announced moving its game with the Chicago Sky to Capital One Arena.

Angel Reese/Kamilla Cardoso effect: Mystics move their June 6 home game against the Chicago Sky from their home building, the Entertainment and Sports Arena (capacity 4,200), to Capital One Arena (capacity 20,000): pic.twitter.com/UPeJlpNpNZ

— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) May 14, 2024

The Sky will play Indiana and Caitlin Clark for an NBA TV broadcast on Saturday, June 1.

Allow us to introduce to you…
𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐒𝐤𝐲!#skytown pic.twitter.com/kpCNV8Dd5y

— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) May 13, 2024

CHICAGO SKY 2024 FULL BROADCAST SCHEDULE  

*CC = Commissioner’s Cup Games  

The 6-7 Cardoso will anchor inside the paint with scoring, rebounding, and an athletic defensive presence. The native of Brazil helped the Gamecocks win the 2023-24 NCAA National Championship with a win against No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark and Iowa.

The Sky made a bold move, trading up to the seventh spot to secure power forward Angel Reese from LSU. Reese, the 2023-24 SEC Player of the Year, is a versatile player known for her exceptional defensive and rebounding skills.

But that’s not all. Reese has shown herself to be a playmaker and creates fouls from defenders, sending her to the free-throw line. Her leadership led the LSU Tigers to the 2023 National Championship, a testament to her potential and the impact she can bring to the Sky.

The tandem immediately makes Chicago one of the most formidable defensive and rebounding forces in the WBNA. Both players were overwhelmed with emotion during their post-draft interviews.

National championship head coaches Dawn Staley and Kim Mulkey were in the audience watching their stars get drafted by the Sky.

Coach Weatherspoon could set a foundation with a highly competitive frontcourt that knows how to win at the highest level, sharing the spotlight in Chicago.