Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese extended her impressive double-double streak to 15 games on Thursday night, but it wasn’t without its challenges against the New York Liberty.
Despite achieving the milestone, Reese’s performance was marred by inefficiency and controversy.
Reese finished the game with 10 points, shooting just 5-of-17 from the field. This was a particularly rough outing for the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, who has been a standout player throughout the season. Her struggle to find the basket was evident in several sequences, most notably one where she missed multiple shots in the paint but managed to grab her own rebounds repeatedly.
This particular play drew criticism from fans, who accused Reese of padding her stats to maintain her double-double streak. “I just watched Angel Reese miss two put-back layups to put her up to 9 rebounds,” one fan commented. “You can’t tell me she’s not stat padding.”
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Another fan echoed this sentiment on social media, tweeting, “Word on the streets is Angel Reese is stat padding for them double doubles.” A third fan wrote, “Respect to Witherspoon for not pulling Angel until she got that 10th rebound. But Reese ain’t beating the allegations.”
Accusations of stat-padding are not new in the world of sports, and Reese now finds herself under that scrutiny. Despite the criticism, her overall season performance speaks volumes about her talent and consistency. Reese is currently averaging 14.0 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, impressive stats for any player, let alone a rookie.
Reese and the Sky will have another chance to prove themselves as they face the Liberty again on Saturday. This upcoming game will be an opportunity for Reese to silence her critics and continue her streak under less contentious circumstances. As she strives to maintain her record and contribute to her team’s success, all eyes will be on how she responds to the pressure and the accusations.
