Angel Reese and Sky Coach Get Honest About Record After Loss to Storm

Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky shoots against Nneka Ogwumike #3 of the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on July 5, 2024. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Angel Reese and Chicago Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon didn’t let the rookie superstar’s all-time record get dwarfed by a disappointing road loss on July 7.

Reese became the first-ever WNBA player to amass 13 consecutive games with double doubles, but the Sky fell short in an 84–71 game against the Seattle Storm. She had 17 points and 14 rebounds in the loss as she eclipsed Candace Parker’s old record, which was made during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

“I think it’s great for me, being able to know where I’m at right now. Obviously, I’m not satisfied where I’m at. I have coaches and teammates around me that believe in me and trust me, and I just continue to trust the process of everything,” Reese told the media after the game. “I’m grateful, I’m blessed and lucky to be named with these amazing players.”

“And I know they’ve always been super nice to me. They’ve always been helpful and inspiring to me. I’ve watched them all my life, and finally, I get to be here in this moment and … break their records,” she added. “To be up there with them is really cool, so I’ve always given my flowers to them before me because they laid the ground for me.”  

Weatherspoon, who played in the WNBA from 1997 to 2003, complimented Reese’s achievement. 

“She’s a workhorse. She’s not out there … to break records and all of that,” Weatherspoon said. “She’s out there to go help this team win.”

“And to do what she’s doing right now and the manner in which she’s doing it,” she said, “with all the grit and grime, the level of confidence that she’s playing with, trusting and believing who she is and what she brings to this team, it’s absolutely amazing to see.

“It’s something that you know she can do because it’s something that she puts the work into being able to do. And it’s a will and a want to go and get extra rebounds, extra putbacks and then try to spike the glass for us on the defensive side of the ball,” Weatherspoon said.

“It’s awesome to see the work that you have to put in to be able to do this.”

Storm Hold Off Sky Second Time Around

Meeting for the second time in three days in Seattle, the Sky couldn’t pull off the two-game sweep. The Sky beat the Storm 88–84 behind Reese’s 27 points and 10 rebounds.

Seattle didn’t let Reese match her dominance a second time, as the Storm held her to 10 fewer points on Sunday. That’s also despite a fast start for the Sky, which built a 20–12 first-quarter lead.

Chicago kept in front by eight points at halftime, 39–31, but the Storm pulled in front during the third quarter with a 29-point effort. Jewell Lloyd put the Storm ahead on a basket, 44–42, and Nneka Ogwumike made a three-point play off of a foul by Reese.

Seattle extended the lead to double figures, 67–55,  with 7:43 left in the game when Lloyd buried a three-pointer. Chicago answered with a 14–5 run to cut it to a three-point game with 2:49 left when Chennedy Carter buried a pair of free throws.

The Storm put their foot on the gas after that by attacking the basket on a 12–0 run. Jordan Horston and Ogwumike hit free throws, Ezi Magbegor made a layup, and Skylar Diggins-Smith hit a three-pointer in addition to a free-throw to get the run going. Lloyd and Marina Mabrey iced the game with a pair of baskets in the final minute.

Ogwumike had her own double double for the Storm with 24 points and 12 rebounds.