Tyler Marsh Spotlights Angel Reese’s Expanding Role for Sky as Star Makes WNBA History

“There’s only one A’ja, there’s only one Phee, and there’s only one AT… and I think Angel is on her way to create that there’s only one Angel in a lot of respects.” When Tyler Marsh dropped that line about Angel Reese, it wasn’t just coach-speak. The forward, now in her sophomore year, has turned every bit of hype into hard numbers. From stacking double-doubles at a pace no one in league history has matched to rewriting the record books with her 600-point, 600-rebound milestone, Reese has done more than prove herself. She has reshaped Chicago’s identity.

When a player carries such gravity, what it does is liberate other players. According to Marsh, Reese’s presence has freed up guard Rachel Banham in crucial ways. With Courtney Vandersloot out for the season, Banham had carried the backcourt load. That responsibility was heavy. But since her return from injury, Reese has shared the burden of being a facilitator for the team efficiently. This was recently pointed out by Marsh as the team heads into the game with Seattle.

In the pregame conference, Marsh pointed to the difference Angel Reese makes when she’s on the floor. “With Angel being back, it’s one more ball handler that takes some pressure off of her [Banham] to feel like she’s got to create everything for the team. And I think that’s been able to open up some outside shots for us, some opportunities to get out in space in transition and be ready for those kick-ahead threes as well.”

Marsh doubled down on the versatility she provides, adding, “I think that’s what we’ve talked about with Angel being back in the lineup. The versatility that she allows our team to play with and opens up the floor for us to be able to do some different things offensively.” And Chicago needed that versatility badly. Veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot went down on June 7 against Indiana, leaving Rachel Banham to shoulder the load in the backcourt. She’s putting up 9.3 points and 2.5 assists per game, but the weight has been heavy.

That’s where Reese has stepped in. Her growth as a passer has been evident, with her assists jumping from 1.9 in 2024 to 3.7 this season. To those who know her, though, this isn’t surprising. Former LSU teammate Hailey Van Lith, now with Chicago, revealed just how much trust she has in Angel’s vision. “Whenever she has the ball and I’m in the vicinity, I’m a hundred percent moving my feet to try and get a window to be open. Because I know that she’s going to be looking for me,” she said.

That same instinct is now unlocking opportunities for the rest of her Sky teammates. And with this added dimension to her game, Reese isn’t just a double-double machine anymore. She’s already earning future MVP contender talk from league reporters.

Angel Reese potential MVP candidate, claims a WNBA reporter

In her growing list of records, the Chi-town Barbie just added another one. She became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 800 career rebounds. With this record-breaking stint also came praise. The most interesting one of them? pitching her as a future MVP candidate. This pitch was made by Andrew Haubner, who used an interesting analogy with reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen to support his argument.

Haubner compared the start of the two players to have a similar trajectory. According to him, scouts looked at both players in the same light, labeling them as raw but extremely promising. They were seen as athletes with all the tools and high upside, yet lacking a strong fundamental base. The belief was that if they reached their full potential, their ceiling could be MVP-level. Though the path to unlocking that ceiling would not be easy.

Now Allen, drafted in 2018, has earned his MVP status in 2024. Haubner believes Angel Reese is walking in his footsteps. “Angel, I think we’re seeing the same thing. We’re seeing the improvement this year of her as a passer, or her as a facilitator, her as a point forward, and the people that were off the train with her last year [are] maybe starting to get back on the train,” he said. The Chi-town Barbie is in her second year and is already in the talks for future MVP. That’s something worth taking note of.