Angel Reese scouting report: Chicago Sky star’s rebounding gets cheers but her scoring gets jeers

Angel Reese seemingly cannot escape the hyperbole that often comes with basketball stardom. Whether it’s fans anointing her as one of the greats, or haters tearing her down unfairly, measured analyses of Reese are few and far between. As it tends to do, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Reese’s game features undeniable weaknesses and natural strengths that should help her stick around in the league for a long time.

Angel Reese scouting report

Angel Reese continues to break new ground as a rebounder, setting all manner of records on the glass via double-doubles or sheer rebounding numbers. She comfortably leads the league in rebounds per game (13.1), total rebounds (418), total rebound percentage (19.2%) and offensive rebound rate (14.5%).

Only A’ja Wilson has her beat for the defensive rebound rate crown (26.5%), as Reese swallows up defensive boards (24.5%) at an elite, if not historically efficient clip.

When shots fall in Reese’s vicinity, she is always a threat to snare the ball and create extra possessions for her teammates. Reese’s motor never stops running, often grabbing her misses, flying in from the other side of the court, and rebounding in transition.

This skillset synergizes with Chicago’s poor shooting roster, as it’s easier to rely on limited shooters with a force on the interior like Reese to provide extra chances to score.

Angel Reese's offense remains problematic

Just 29% (47/162) of Angel Reese’s offensive rebounds lead to passes out to other teammates. If Reese continues to struggle as an interior scorer, it could be beneficial for her to focus on resetting the offense after boards to create more efficient scoring chances for her team.

Fans discuss Reese’s finishing woes as nauseam, popping out as her most glaring weakness. As Steph Noh of Sporting News detailed, Reese is amidst a historically inefficient season scoring at the rim, which isn’t ideal given her rebounding greatness.

As of writing this piece, Reese shoots 40.6% at the rim. That number drops to 33.9% when you remove transition and putback attempts. For some context, it is what the Phoenix Mercury is shooting from 3 this season, placing them in the middle of the pack.

Reese ranks last of 36 WNBA players with at least 100 rim attempts, with the distance between her and the next closest big (her fellow rookie teammate Kamilla Cardoso) nearing 12%.

There’s no arguing that Reese’s finishing has been disastrous, but how much can she progress in this area? Given the extreme volume of shots at the hoop Reese attempts, even small increases in efficiency would be beneficial.

Her lack of touch likely won’t improve much, as that’s a difficult skill to progress significantly in the pros. The sheer volume of wild misses at the basket doesn't indicate a positive touch on these shots, and Reese has never been an outside shooter from mid-range or three.

She has struggled with the athletic translation to the WNBA. Reese’s college finishing was solid, but she can’t bully through pro bigs like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. She could improve her strength and explosion over the coming seasons, which would help her get physically closer to the basket and convert more of her layup chances.

Reese’s poor finishing technique might be the most fixable issue, which could be seen as a reason for optimism. She’s often impatient at the bucket, neglecting to carve out space in favor of finessing tough shots as many rookies do.

Strangely, Angel Reese loves to release the ball from lower on her frame, making it much easier for defenders to alter her shots. Holding the ball higher and playing more decisively will help Reese put shots over defenders at the basket.

Though Reese’s offense hogs most of the discourse spotlight, for better or worse, her defense has been heavily praiseworthy. Rookie bigs often struggle defensively, but Reese looks excellent early in her career. She’s incredibly mobile for a big, capable of sliding with quick players and containing the perimeter as a pick-and-roll defender.

That mobility allows impressive defensive versatility, as Reese comfortably checks multiple positions any night. She’s an especially impressive playmaker on the perimeter, posting a robust 2.0% steal rate. Reese darts towards loose balls, weaponizing her solid speed and length to muck up offensive plans.

Dissecting Angel Reese's ceiling as a star

Angel Reese is prone to the same rookie gaffes that all new pros share; she’ll sometimes read the floor slowly, resulting in easy baskets off the ball. She can change directions sluggishly when the Sky ask her to cover large areas on the court. She’s not much of a shot blocker, only tallying 16 blocks on the season, possibly limiting her ceiling as an interior defender.

It’s difficult to discuss Reese’s future independent of the Sky’s questionable teambuilding, notably their lack of shooting. The recently acquired Rachel Banham is the roster’s only positive spacer, making life incredibly difficult for Chicago’s offense and, in turn, limiting the space Reese has to work.

How far can Angel Reese take her elite rebounding gifts? Without a projectable shot or high-end feel, Reese may never be a true game-changing star at the WNBA level. That doesn’t mean Reese isn’t and can’t develop into a good, impactful player. Rebounding specialists tend to stick around. That, paired with Reese’s strong defense, provides a strong foundation.

So much of the noise surrounding Angel Reese’s performance takes away from who she actually is on the court. Even if Reese never becomes the star few expect she will, it’s easy to appreciate a player with her combination of skills. She should stick around for a long time as a viable rotation piece for great teams, whether that’s in Chicago or elsewhere.