Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky played their preseason game against the Brazilian national team at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, where she played some of her collegiate years with the LSU Tigers. During her stay in what was once her home court, Reese shared a powerful message about her former coach Kim Mulkey of LSU.
Reese expressed how grateful she is to Mulkey for helping her gear up for the WNBA while she was still in college. The Sky forward reminisced about the time she dreaded playing for Mulkey for the hardships she forced her to go through.
“She prepared me for the WNBA. In the moment, I hated it, I’m not gonna lie. I hated it and I dreaded it and I didn’t like it. And then when I left, I was really thankful for that moment. It didn’t make sense in the moment, but now it all makes sense,” Reese said.
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Reese had a stellar time with LSU, steering the Tigers to their first-ever NCAA national title, beating the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes in 2023. Reese was named the Most Outstanding Player in the tournament after recording a historic 34 double-doubles in the season.
After her senior season with LSU in 2024, Reese declared for the WNBA draft, where she was picked seventh by the Sky. She eventually became one of the fastest-rising stars in the league, becoming an All-Star in just her first season and finishing second in the Rookie of the Year award in 2024.
This year, Reese is expected to continue her growth in the league for her sophomore season with the Sky.
Kim Mulkey defends Angel Reese from critics ahead of sophomore year
One of the biggest criticisms about Angel Reese is her shooting around the rim, which resulted in numerous offensive rebounds that padded her stats. However, Kim Mulkey has made it a point to defend herself from her critics.
Talking during the Sky’s game against Brazil, Mulkey defended Reese from her critics.
“Angel is aware of where the ball is coming off that rim. When her teammates shoot it, she is always positioning herself to get the offensive rebound. I was just down there watching her as a fan and I said I never get to see that in a game,” she said.
“Angel just has a personality. She just attracts a lot of attention—she’s authentic and a competitor,” Mulkey added.
Reese will look to silence her critics once more in her second season as a WNBA player as the regular season is set to start on May 16.
