The season has not been kind to Angel Reese. First, she was dunked on by Caitlin Clark, and then she was savagely mocked by Kelsey Plum in the loss against the Los Angeles Sparks. Even in their first win of the season against the Wings, her performance was heavily scrutinized by fans and critics alike.The Chicago Sky got their win, but Reese still wasn’t effective, she only got 6 points, 5 assists, and 9 rebounds. She did get a significant contribution as she delivered a clutch assist to Kamilla Cardoso, who converted the go-ahead basket, putting the Sky ahead but her shooting is still lacking and is arguably even worse than last year, according to this national reporter. Ros Gold-Onwude said on the Good Follow podcast, “Let’s address Angel… uh..first of all, we know Angel Reese, she works hard, and she’s crashing that glass. It’s not for lack of effort; she’s averaging nine points and about 14 rebounds per game, but again, the efficiency—she’s shooting even lower than she was last season, and we wanted to see improvement there.”By this time, everybody has watched that embarrassing 8-second clip in which she missed 4 consecutive layup shots from 3 feet of the basket and took the rebounds herself to miss again. She eventually passed it out to Kamilla Kardoso, who issued the three, and that rebound Reese missed. That would be a clear definition of Reese’s performance so far this season. She is trying her best to score, but that is further worsening her performance. She is trying too much to be the scorer, so much so that she has been forgetting that she has teammates around too.Her 33.3% field goal percentage ranks outside the top 50 in the league and marks a noticeable drop from the 39.1% she posted last season. Even in 2024, she was already walking a fine line when it came to shooting efficiency, but she managed to offset it with strengths in other areas of her game, such as rebounding and defensive presence. However, analyst Ros Gold-Onwude pointed out another aspect of Reese’s performance that has been impacting the Sky’s overall play.She said, “She’s shooting 30% from the field, and it’s only three games, but she’s also averaging about five turnovers a game, so for me, it’s even less about the shooting, and for me, it’s more like the decision-making for Angel.”Those turnovers often come from forcing plays, like in the Indiana Fever game on May 17, where she took 14 shots but made only 5, rushing into defenders instead of finding open teammates like Cardoso. It’s like she’s trying to prove she can carry the offense, but it’s backfiring, costing the Sky possessions in tight games.Turnovers have been a major hurdle for the Chicago Sky this season, as they lead the league in giveaways with an average of 17.2 per game. This has been a key factor in their inability to establish a consistent rhythm on the court. A notable portion of those turnovers comes from her, as she has averaged 3.8 per game across the team’s first five matchups.Her rebounding numbers remain strong, but in the WNBA, you can’t afford to be a one-dimensional player. While her assist numbers have improved from last season, rising from 1.9 to 2.8 per game, the film tells a different story. There are plenty of missed opportunities, and it’s clear that number could be even higher if she took the time to scan the floor more consistently. Her court vision is still lacking, and it’s limiting her ability to elevate the offense beyond her individual contributions.Reese was expected to go on an upward trajectory after her breakout debut season last year, in which she finished second behind Caitlin Clark in the Rookie of the Year race. This year, maybe the expectations have gotten the better of her. She is now handed a lot more responsibility than last year, because of which she feels the need to make something happen herself rather than play with her teammates. That is limiting her as well as the team’s gameplay this season. The WNBA’s shift toward versatile, efficient players doesn’t help. Stars like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart are setting a high bar, and Reese’s one-dimensional play, great on the boards but shaky everywhere else, makes it tough for the Sky to keep up in a league where spacing and scoring matter more than ever.Tyler Marsh clarifies stance on Angel Reese’s performances Her poor game against the Dallas Wings was masked by them getting their first win. She has still been breaking records despite her subpar performances, as she became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach the 500-point and 500-rebound mark. Her rebounds have not been effective for Tyler Marsh in getting wins; also, many of her attacking rebounds are mostly off her own misses. So has Marsh been frustrated with Angel Reese?May 17, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) looks to shoot a basket Saturday, May 17, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Chicago Sky, 93-58.Mandatory Credit: Grace Smith-IndyStar via Imagn ImagesWell, he was questioned regarding Reese’s form and he has clarified that Reese has been working on contributing in something apart from rebounds. “I think that’s what her skillset allows her to be, that we shouldn’t just look at her as a rebounder or just as a scorer. There’s so many different things that she can do on a court that help a team win.”The coach definitely wants her to grow beyond just her defensive prowess, and in a way she is. She is slowly improving her instincts while defending off the dribble, as she has 1.6 steals per game this season, up from 1.3. Marsh is still looking at the brighter side of the game but he has no choice but to trust Reese to improve. She is, without a doubt, one of the best defenders in the league and the best on the team so he must find a way if Reese doesn’t improve. He further highlighted that she has been ‘versatile.’“And even though shots weren’t falling for her tonight, she had 5 assists, she had huge rebounds down the stretch. And that’s the kind of versatility that we see in her, and she’s embraced it so far,” he added.It’s a better situation than just trying to go for more shots and missing. It hasn’t helped the Sky squad. She attempted her lowest so far this season with 6 attempts. So, she knew her shots weren’t going in so she played around the team and contributed where she could. She got her team into the game with her passing and did her thing off the glass. This is a better scenario than the Indiana game when she attempted 14 and made only 5. However versatile Reese becomes, she will need to improve her shooting for the Sky to truly succeed. Her rebounding, hustle, and defensive presence have already made a strong impact, but as teams adjust and scout her tendencies, the ability to stretch the floor and knock down shots will become crucial. Developing a reliable mid-range or outside shot won’t just elevate her individual game, but it will open up the floor for her teammates, create better spacing, and make the Sky a more dynamic offensive unit.If Reese can focus on smarter shot selection, like sticking to high-percentage looks near the rim, and sharpen her court vision, she could turn things around. With tough games against teams like the Las Vegas Aces coming up, she’s got to adapt fast to quiet the critics and help the Sky find their groove.The post Bitter Reality Closes In on Angel Reese As National Reporter Drops Troubling WNBA Update appeared first on EssentiallySports.