Angel Reese’s Unmatched coach reveals what she expects to see from her in 3-on-3 basketball

Angel Reese is undoubtedly one of many greatest stars headed to Unmatched this winter. Although she is without doubt one of the league’s youngest gamers at 22 years previous, Reese brings star energy, an NCAA championship, and a large particular person following sure to assist carry eyes to the brand new 3-on-3 basketball league that can be broadcast on TNT.

In her rookie season for the Chicago Sky, Reese averaged 13.6 factors and 13.1 rebounds per recreation, setting a WNBA report for many rebounds per recreation in league historical past. She was named an All-Star, and have become the primary ever rookie to publish a double-double within the All-Star recreation. Off the court docket, Reese amassed 4.5 million Instagram followers, greater than another participant in girls’s basketball.

Photograph by Michael Gonzales/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs

In Unmatched — set to tip off on January seventeenth in Miami — Reese can be a member of the Rose Membership. That membership can be coached by Nola Henry, who served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Sparks beneath Curt Miller and has a robust background in participant improvement that started with an internship for the Connecticut Solar.

For the Rose Membership, Reese will staff up with Las Vegas Aces level guard Chelsea Grey, Phoenix Mercury ahead Kahleah Copper, Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes, Indiana Fever sharpshooter Lexie Hull, and Los Angeles Sparks ahead Azurá Stevens. Grey (32), Copper (30), Sykes (30), Stevens (28), and Hull (25) all carry

Nola Henry mentioned final week that she believes the veterans on the staff — particularly Grey — will assist Reese in her improvement as a participant. Whereas Reese undoubtedly had an amazing rookie season, she struggled a bit offensive across the basket, capturing simply 39.1% from the sector.

Now, she’ll be paired with a slew of gifted veterans who may assist her elevate that a part of her recreation. Grey, a three-time WNBA champion, is extensively thought-about the most effective level guards within the recreation. Copper, in the meantime, led the Sky to a championship in 2021. Each veterans had been key members of the U.S. Olympic staff that gained gold in Paris — and Reese is prone to profit from each of their presences.

“I believe Chelsea Grey will certainly assist Angel’s improvement,” Henry mentioned. “It’ll velocity up her improvement — not simply from a management standpoint, but additionally understanding the angles of the ground, and understanding screening.”

On the ground, Henry burdened that Reese will carry rebounding to the squad, as that has been the hallmark a part of her recreation all through her time within the league — in addition to previous to that.

“For Angel, it doesn’t matter, 3-on-3, 5-on-5, faculty, WNBA — she’s an unimaginable rebounder, proper?” Henry mentioned. “I anticipate to see rebounding from her… that’s simply what she’s completed her whole profession.”

This previous season, Reese broke a myriad of rebounding data. The 6’3 ahead turned the primary participant in WNBA historical past to report 20+ rebounds in consecutive video games, doing so in three straight outings. She additionally posted 15 consecutive double-doubles, one other league report. The rebounding success was foreshadowed; all through her collegiate profession, Reese averaged 12.3 boards per recreation.

Along with undoubtedly showcasing her strengths as a rebounder, Henry mentioned she believes Unmatched will function a chance for Reese to show her defensive versatility. She’ll even be tasked with limiting a number of the greatest gamers on this planet, together with Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the league’s two co-founders. Reese may even doubtless be primarily assigned to Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, and Aliyah Boston.

“With 3-on-3, there can be numerous switching, so I anticipate her having the ability to change on to some smaller guards, and actually have to sit down down and guard in house,” Henry mentioned. “Additionally, again to the basket, having the ability to guard a number of the different actually good publish gamers in Unmatched — Phee, Stewie — she’ll get a each day, or a nightly, problem of guarding a number of the greatest gamers within the WNBA, whether or not they’re guards, whether or not they’re publish gamers.”

Unmatched can be Nola Henry’s first head coach alternative. She’s thrilled to get to start this subsequent chapter in her profession alongside the rookie sensation.

“I’m tremendous enthusiastic about Angel,” Henry mentioned. “I adopted her in faculty, after which clearly within the WNBA, I’m simply enthusiastic about her development.”