Angel Reese has seen the lowest of lows this season. Right from that first game, when she was forced to smell the wood because of a flagrant foul from Caitlin Clark. Then a clip of her missing 4 straight layups and tacking her rebounds off her own shots went viral, with fans trolling her. Now she has just silenced the haters with her performance on the court. 

Reese had been averaging 9 points and 11 rebounds per game while shooting just 30 percent from the field. In a breakout performance against the Sun, she delivered her best game of the season by finishing with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists, going 2-7 from the field and 0-2 from beyond the arc. It marked the first triple-double of her career and the second recorded in the WNBA this season, following Caitlin Clark’s triple-double on opening night against the Sky. 

The WNBA had a cool new nickname for the Chicago Sky star. While congratulating Reese on their social media, the WNBA captioned their graphic with, “TRIPLE-DOUBLE BARBIE, With 11 PTS, 13 REB, and 10 AST. 7 minutes into the 4Q, Angel Reese has officially recorded her first career triple-double, and the second triple-double of the season.”

Reese held up all ten fingers in celebration of her first career triple-double and the first for a Sky player since Courtney Williams in 2023. A performance that gave the Sky the spark they needed to earn a 78-66 win over the Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena. The victory ended a three-game losing streak and marked a turning point for the team. 

Reese led the way with a commanding all-around effort, while rookie Hailey Van Lith also helped in the winning effort, scoring a career-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Kia Nurse added 11 points on a perfect four-for-four shooting night, including three three-pointers. Kamilla Cardoso and Ariel Atkins each contributed 10 points. Reese’s performance stood out as the highlight of the day as she became the second youngest player to record a triple-double at 23 years 40 days. Only Clark did it at a younger age, as she was 22 years 166 days when she recorded her first last year. 

Reese’s efficiency is still under fire as she went 29% from the field and failed to put down a 3-pointer. It was a massive improvement over some of her performances this season. With this, she also became the third fastest player to record a triple-double, only behind Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu. Reese needed 44 games while Clark did it in 22, and Ionescu only required 6.

Earlier this season, she became the fastest player in league history to reach 500 career points and 500 rebounds, accomplishing the feat in just 38 games. Last season, she led the league in rebounds per game with 13.1, and also set records for total rebounds in a season with 446 and offensive rebounds with 172. In 2024, Reese recorded 26 double-doubles, including a streak of 15 consecutive games, setting yet another league record.

She has continued the upward trend in getting boards as she is averaging 11.8 per game this season. Her assist numbers were lacking in college and in her rookie year, but she has improved upon them. The Maryland and LSU product never had a triple-double in college; the most assists she had in a game was 7 in an 87–70 win over Texas A&M. This was more than double her previous career high in the W. The Chi-Town Barbie was used to getting double-doubles, but she seems to have unlocked a third aspect of her play. 

What Angel Reese Unlocking Assists Could Mean For the Chicago Sky

The Chicago Sky have not looked like contenders this season. They improved to 3-7 after a much-needed win over the Connecticut Sun. While the Sun is one of the weaker teams in the league, the Sky finally looked like a team. They moved the ball with purpose and recorded 20 assists on 27 made field goals. For a team that has struggled to find offensive rhythm, that kind of ball movement is a major step forward. And Angel Reese carried the brunt of that creativity load, getting more than half of them. 

Courtney Vandersloot’s season-ending ACL injury created a leadership void and stripped the Sky of one of the best passers in WNBA history. In her absence, the responsibility of creating offense has fallen on younger shoulders. Hailey Van Lith has shown flashes of scoring ability, putting up 16 points in the win, but she registered just one assist. That underscores the Sky’s biggest issue: a lack of true playmaking presence. Van Lith will eventually grow into her role, but she can’t be the sole creator in her rookie season. 

This is where Angel Reese can step in and help change the narrative. While she’s not a point guard and isn’t expected to be Vandersloot, Reese has already shown signs of growth as a facilitator. She averaged 1.9 assists per game in both college and her rookie year. This season, that number has increased to 2.7. More importantly, her recent triple-double performance suggests she’s starting to see the floor differently and is being trusted with more responsibility in the offense.

With Kamilla Cardoso anchoring the paint, Reese has the opportunity to play more from the high post and perimeter. From there, she can read the defense, find open shooters or cutters, and still do what she does best, crash the boards and dominate inside. This positional flexibility not only allows her to contribute creatively but also helps Coach Tyler Marsh balance the frontcourt pairing of Cardoso and Reese.

If Reese continues on this trajectory, she could emerge as a hybrid forward who not only dominates on the glass but also facilitates offense. That dual threat would be invaluable to a team still searching for its identity. The Sky doesn’t need Reese to become Vandersloot overnight, but if she can keep expanding her vision and decision-making, she might just be the creative anchor this team needs to turn its season around.