Angel Reese has never met a miss that she didn’t like.

Whether the shot bounces off the basket, the puck hits a little too hard to land in the net, or doesn’t hit anything at all, Reese has an uncanny talent for making something out of nothing.

And she is currently on track to become the best rookie in WNBA history to do so.

Angel Reese (374) is just 30 rebounds away from setting the all-time record for rebounds in a season (Sylvia Fowles, 404). She is such a top-notch rebounder. @Winsidr #WNBA

— Pitch Mr. Perfect (@MichaelWaterloo) 26 August 2024

Shooting and passing are a much more noticeable part of any player’s game, but dominating the basket is another matter entirely. A player’s timing, footwork and strength around the basket are constantly tested as he contends with other hungry layups. Reese is simply the best in all of the above areas this season, and that’s why she’s made her mark with voters in a contentious race for the Rookie of the Year (ROTY) title.

Two aspects of rebounding set her apart from her contemporaries. One of them, reminiscent of Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun, is her good ball handling. Trained as a point guard at a young age, Reese has demonstrated her ability to grab a defensive rebound and move into transition with the ball in hand on multiple occasions this season. As the Chicago Sky continue to hone their backcourt rotations, this has been hugely important in maintaining their pace and playing to their youthful strength – out-shooting their opponents.

The second unique aspect is how Reese gets so many offensive rebounds. Some criticize this part of her rebounding game, calling it a crutch – it’s fine that she can catch her bad shots, but doesn’t that mean she’s also a bad shooter?

Reese’s efficiency this season is 40.1 percent from the field. That’s pretty low for a post player, but the Sky rank fourth total in second chance points per game. That is just behind the Seattle Storm, Sun and Dallas Wings – all teams with top-notch frontcourt play. Reese ranks second among all players in second chance points per game, trailing only the Wings’ recently returned Satou Sabally, who has played in just two games so far this season. Without Sabally on the team, Reese ranks first in that category.

In the WNBA, scoring on second chance shots is difficult. When you’re up against elite defenders like A’ja Wilson, Thomas, Napheesa Collier or Jonquel Jones, to name a few, it seems daunting. For Reese, it’s an opportunity to do her classic shoulder roll and flex – almost as if to say, “I’m here now, too.”

When talking about Reese’s impact on the offense, you have to remove that perspective – the perspective of just looking at efficiency – to see how excellent she is at running the offense. Reese already knows that this is an area where she can improve as a scorer.

“For me, that’s a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. When I go for a layup, I know I can get my rebound before I look at the basket and make the shot before I get the rebound. So I’m strict with myself. I try to be more efficient near the basket,” Reese told Reporter in June.

Reese has already made history before the end of her rookie season. She broke the record for most consecutive She has 15 straight double-doubles this year, a streak that ended after the New York Liberty quadruple prevented her from scoring a 10th point at the end of her game in July. She also totaled 20 double-doubles this season, making her the fastest player in WNBA history to do so. In a league full of rebounding fans, she leads in several rebounding categories, including total rebounds (332), offensive rebounds (135) and rebounds per game (12.3).

Reese will continue to improve as a scorer, shooter and rebounder. The Sky are also in contention for a postseason berth, something many didn’t think was possible at the start of the season, as many – myself included – viewed them as a rebuilding team at the start of the year.

Chicago had three big matches last week – two close losses to top teams Sun and Las Vegas Aces and a tough loss to the Phoenix Mercury. While these losses sting, the important thing is that the Sky fought.

Reese is an important part of this battle – her average of over 20 rebounds per game in these three games is a pretty good indicator of her impact in these contests. But while she cares about rebounding stats, awards, and even competing for the ROTY, her goal is to win.

“(Winning) is the most important thing for me,” Reese told ESPN’s Alexa Philippou as her double-double streak ended Thursday. “I think I’ve done a great job, been able to be consistent and have already broken the record. So (I want to) just be myself and be able to do what my teammates need.”