“Don’t be on the wrong side of history when it’s said and done.” That was the warning from one fan when Reese recently scored a 20 -20 double-double and Angel Reese is making sure no one forgets it. With every rebound, every bucket, and every win, she’s rewriting the script—one that once counted her and her squad out. At Unrivaled, Reese delivered a commanding 23-point, 14-rebound, 5-assist performance, turning doubt into fuel and silence into a statement. What was once a team searching for answers is now a force demanding respect. The message is loud and clear: ignore them at your own peril.

When Unrivaled began, Angel Reese and her Rose teammates were on the brink of stumbling out of the gates with a 1-4 record. But then, something clicked. They embarked on a five-game winning streak, pushing themselves to second place in the standings. Now, with only Lunar Owls standing in their way, Rose’s recent 71-59 victory over the Phantom was loud proof that experts now need to watch their predictions and rankings.

Rose BC was all but dismissed in ESPN’s preseason rankings and Angel Reese had an apt response for the naysayers after her dominant performance. Following the game, Basketball Scout posted on X: “Angel Reese postgame interview after her 23PTS 14REB & 5AST performance. Mentions that Rose BC has a ‘chip’ on their shoulder & sends a message to Chicago Sky fans.” When asked in the postgame press conference how her team excelled, Reese kept it simple: “It’s a team effort. I mean, everybody stepped up and did their job… We have a chip on our shoulder right now, so five-game winning streak. We keep going.”

That chip, as Reese explained, comes from being underestimated. “They ranked us at the bottom. We was the last team. Nobody believed in us, and we believed in each other in the locker room, so we just keep proving each other right. Come in every day and work. The work show. The work totally shows.” Now at 6-4, Rose BC has turned doubt into fuel, their season shifting like a well-timed crossover, with Reese at the forefront.

The numbers back it up. Reese’s previous double-double drew criticism, with my readers accusing her of stat-padding, pointing to her eight offensive rebounds on inefficient shooting. This time, the efficiency spoke for itself—8-of-16 shooting, just two offensive rebounds, and a cleaner, more decisive 23-point outing. Credit where it’s due—Reese didn’t just rack up numbers; she led.

Her teammates played their part too. Chelsea Gray’s 26 points and 7 assists orchestrated the offense, while Lexie Hull’s 13 points and five assists provided balance. As a team, Rose BC dominated the boards, out-rebounding Phantom 42-26, including a staggering 13 offensive rebounds. They also shot a blistering 43.5% from three, stretching the defense and controlling the tempo.

This was more than just a win—it was a declaration. Five straight victories have flipped the script, and well, Reese is just on another level. Before this, against the #1 Lunar Owls, she became the first player in Unrivaled history to record a 20-20 game. Reese isn’t just winning games—she’s building something bigger, even in Chicago.

Top Comment by bruceyoung

Feels like Essentially Sports is Reese PR Department. Isn’t Rose winning more attributed to Chelsea Gray?

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From Lone Star to GM Angel

“Walked in Unrivaled with no teammates & now I’m walking out with 2😜 #skytown,” Reese wrote in a post on X after Chicago’s latest roster moves. And this offseason recruiting haul has earned her a new label.

While the WNBA teams are in full roster-building mode, Chicago has been among the busiest. The Sky acquired two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins from the Washington Mystics in exchange for a 2025 No. 3 overall pick, a 2027 first-round pick swap, and a 2027 second-round pick.

Atkins, a defensive stalwart and 2019 WNBA champion, brings a much-needed veteran presence to Chicago. She averaged 14.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in the 2024 season, while also providing reliable three-point shooting with 5.5 attempts per game.

Before Atkins’ arrival, Chicago had already revamped its backcourt by bringing in veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot and Kia Nurse. Vandersloot, a two-time WNBA champion and Chicago’s all-time assists leader agreed to return to the franchise on a one-year deal. After spending 12 seasons with the Sky, leading them to their first-ever championship in 2021, she now returns to guide a young but ambitious squad.

Meanwhile, the Sky parted ways with Dana Evans and Lindsey Allen, both of whom were moved as part of the roster overhaul. The team also lost Isabella Harrison and Diamond DeShields to free agency. Despite the turnover, Chicago’s commitment to building around Reese and Kamilla Cardoso remains clear. The duo was one of the few bright spots in a challenging 2025 season, and with reinforcements arriving, expectations are shifting.

Fans have already started calling Reese “GM Angel” for her vocal role in shaping the Sky’s identity. With her leadership, newfound efficiency, and a reloaded roster, Chicago looks ready to turn its underdog story into something far greater.