Angel Reese has been reaching career milestones throughout the 2025 season, which earned her a place in this year's WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis. The improvements in her game aren't going unnoticed by fans and around the league, and the Chicago Sky star is now opening up about the reasons for the change.
Reese sat down for an interview with ESPN's Elle Duncan ahead of All-Star Weekend to discuss some of the mental roadblocks she had to face and overcome to put up the record-setting numbers fans have enjoyed all campaign.
“I was figuring it out. Trial and error,” Reese explained. “Don't feel like I was as focused on my game specifically. Trying to figure things out so fast and not giving myself grace, and I feel like I was rushing everything.”
Reese leveled her game up thanks to the assistance of multiple basketball veterans around her and detailed where her mentality currently stands.
“I think right now, the game has completely calmed down for me, slowed down for me. Now, it's me. It's me against anybody. That's just how I feel now, and I think when your confidence is through the roof, you feel like your best self, and that's how I feel right now.”
Reese made an immediate impact on the WNBA and for the Sky after being drafted No. 7 overall in 2024, averaging a double-double with 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 steals and finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. However, her efficiency rating was just 39.1%, marking a notable blind spot in her game.
The 23-year-old upped those numbers to 14.0 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals on 44.6% shooting in her sophomore season, adding 12.6 boards to once again reach the double-double average mark.
Reese's name was regularly added to the history books in her first year, and she's also improved drastically in that area. One of her most noteworthy achievements so far was surpassing Connecticut Sun legend Tina Charles as the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 500 points and 500 rebounds, achieving the feat in just 38 games.
Now, Reese will have the chance to show her newly developed skills off when she takes the court with Team Collier during the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game at 8:30 p.m. ET.
