The Angel Reese hype train was in ascendancy throughout the 2024 season as she came in as the No. 7 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. And boy did the Chicago Sky rookie deliver! Leading WNBA record with consecutive double-doubles (15)? Check. Leading the league with an average of 13.1 rebounds per game while setting the record for single-season rebounds? Check. Bagging the 2024 WNBA Peak Performer Award for leading in rebounds? Yeah, put a giant green tick next to it. But as fate would have it, the momentum was cut short due to a season-ending injury. That’s a thing of the past now and if the recent updates are to be believed, the 22-year-old might be bringing back her signature power, if not more.

Back in September last year in a game against the Los Angeles Sparks, Reese while attempting to catch herself after being knocked to the ground with a foul in the third quarter, injured herself. She suffered a hairline fracture in the base of her left hand for which she had to later undergo surgery. The injury for her couldn’t have come at a worse time given the WNBA Rookie of the Year battle that was underway.

Right before the injury, Reese was second in the charts for getting the most rebounds, only behind A’ja Wilson. She was a monster offensively and defensively but the area she really lacked was perimeter shooting. She shot 18.8% from the perimeter, that number being one of the lowest in the league. The former LSU star attempted only 16 shots in the whole tournament and managed to convert just 3 of them. It was also an area the Sky team as a whole really lacked, as they were ninth best in the league with a three-point percentage of 32.3%.

But with the training camps all underway, Reese is at work, making an effort to work on her weak part of the game, as she was seen shooting from the parameter during practice. Karli Bell shared the practice video of Angel Reese on X, captioned: “Angel Reese working on the perimeter game after practice. That three ball looking nice.” The technique seems to have improved a lot as she was getting the buckets consistently. But wait, let’s circle back a little.

The former LSU point guard Hailey Van Lith got drafted into the WNBA as the 11th overall pick by Chicago Sky this year. And in a recent media appearance, the former teammate of Angel Reese revealed which Chicago Sky player she was the most excited to play with:

“I think that I’m most excited because what those vets do really well are things that I’m looking to improve upon,” Van Lith said. “Courtney (Vandersloot)’s overall court vision and the tempo that she plays at; I cannot wait to watch film with her, to just observe her and pick her brain about how she controls the game. … I think that she’s one in particular that I’m really, really excited just getting to be around.”

We cannot deny that Vandersloot is a legendary figure in the Sky hemisphere. She returned to Chicago after the last two years with the New York Liberty. She was part of the legendary Sky team, which won the only title in the team’s history in 2021. Her list of accolades is far too long: she won two championships, earned All-WNBA honors five times, was named to the All-Star team five times, and led the entire league in assists on seven occasions.

With Vandersloot back and Reese already putting in the hours to work on her grey zones, Chicago Sky fans will be hoping for a playoff run but before that, let’s see what Reese had to say about the 23-year-old.

Angel Reese reveals the nature of the relationship with Hailey Van Lith

Previously, Van Lith played with Sky Superstar for one season at LSU. They had a great relationship then but years on, both have evolved into different players and people. Van Lith was excited to reunite with Reese after the draft, as she feels they play the same brand of basketball.

The training camps are underway and after Sky’s first session on Sunday, Reese explained the type of relationship she’s trying to have with her teammate. “I’m not a vet yet, but just staying poised. I mean, I know a lot of pressure is probably on her from the outside; I know how it is. Being the big name coming to town,” Reese said of Van Lith, per an X post from Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun-Times.

“Me and Hailey have a great relationship. I love her, and just being able to be here for her in this moment, because last year was tough for me because I didn’t have a lot of vets,” Reese continued. “So just being that ‘big sister’… to her this year is super important for her.”

And if the words are anything to go by, then the 23-year-old reciprocates the sentiment. When asked about her reunion with Reese during the post-draft press conference, she said, “I’m just excited to get to be around her again. I think we have a lot of similarities on how we carry ourselves and our mindset on what’s important to us. And she’s a dog, man.”

This duo is expected to light up the court at the WNBA and the Sky fans will hope this relationship translates into these two being in sync on the court. Their coordination might be key to how this season pans out for Sky. With Reese working on her outside shooting and Van Lith coming in with her creativity, it’s looking good for Tyler Marsh as he looks to reinvigorate the Chicago Sky.