Oliver: Want to bash on the Sky’s Angel Reese? Better go look for that somewhere else

Sometimes reaching our goals takes longer than we expect or what we think others expect of us.

Of course, not many of us have millions of eyes watching what we do and how we do it.

I think about that a lot as a fan of the WNBA team, the Chicago Sky, particularly when I watch the whirlwind surrounding power forward Angel Reese.

Reese, as you might remember, has been making headlines since her college days. She won a national championship with the Louisiana State University Tigers. Though that has been overshadowed by an incident she had with then-Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark.

Both women are known for being extremely competitive, and neither would dispute that they play hard. Yet, one has been branded a villain while the other can do no wrong in the eyes of her fans.

No doubt you know which one is which. I don’t think any of that nonsense is fair … to either woman.

The Sky lucked out in the 2024 WNBA Draft when they were able to select Reese with their No. 7 pick. Frankly, had it not been for all the noise from that Clark interaction, she might have gone higher.

Still, the combination of Kamilla Cardoso, who was taken by the Sky with the No. 3 pick in that same draft, has a lot of us Sky fans positively giddy.

Granted, in their inaugural season together, Reese and Cardoso were still trying to figure it out. As great a potential as they both have, there was still work to do.

Of course, Reese still found a way to make an impact, carving out for herself in the WNBA the same rebounding niche she had in college. Her efforts led to her selection as an All-Star as a rookie.

Throughout that rookie year, Reese was consistent in her message that she knew she could be better. And she put in the work.

Fans who watched her in the Unrivaled League could see progress. That she played on the team that eventually took the championship was no coincidence.

Still, Reese’s sophomore campaign came with a lot of changes. Sure, she still had fellow “Skyscraper” Cardoso, but a lot of the other players around them have changed.

Not only that, but she has a new coach this year after the front office fired Teresa Weatherspoon and replaced her with Las Vegas Aces assistant coach Tyler Marsh.

The beginning of the season was understandably tough, with the team often being beaten soundly by opponents, including the Indiana Fever, who are captained by none other than Clark.

Then the unthinkable happened. The team’s heart, point guard Courtney Vandersloot, suffered a season-ending injury. Things were looking mighty grim in Skytown.

On top of the losing was the incessant Reese bashing on social media, to the point where the haters would troll her for getting her own rebounds. “Mebounds” they mockingly called them.

At one point this season, a pointed question from a reporter after a Sky game brought a quick response from teammate Ariel Atkins, who joined the team from the Washington Mystics through a trade.

“This is a 23-year-old kid who handles herself with grace. Her crown is heavy,” Atkins said after a loss to the New York Liberty on June 10.

Despite all the noise, Reese continues to improve, all while creating for herself a brand that includes a podcast, Reebok shoe deal, McDonald’s collaborations and even the cover of NBA 2K26.

Best of all, she managed to capitalize on those mocking “Mebounds” remarks by releasing merchandise that will benefit her efforts to fight cyberbullying.

On the court, Reese has been ripping it up, averaging a double-double, and even posting a triple-double against the Connecticut Sun. She earned her place as a two-time All-Star.

Just this past Friday, Reese and the Sky notched their biggest victory to date: an 87-81 win over the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. In the win, both Reese and Cardoso had double-doubles, and Atkins scored a team high 27 points.

Reese has been open about the team’s struggles as well as her own issues at the beginning of the season. However, she often says that she trusts the process and that improvement will come.

Happily, for this fan at least, things do seem to be coming together for the Sky.

And I’m so proud of Reese for being able to tune out the noise and just get to work.

• Joan Oliver is the former Northwest Herald assistant news editor. She has been associated with the Northwest Herald since 1990. She can be reached at jolivercolumn@gmail.com.