How can one of the most talked-about players in women’s basketball possibly be underrated?
Angel Reese might be proving it’s possible.
Everybody knows Reese.
They know about the “Mebounds” jokes. They know about Caitlin Clark. They know about her personality, social media presence and everything else surrounding her.
But somewhere along the way, I think people have started underrating how good she actually is at basketball.
The Numbers Are Getting Ridiculous
Reese is averaging 16.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game in her first season with Atlanta.
And the rebounding isn’t just good.
It’s historic.
Reese recently grabbed an absurd 26 rebounds in one game, breaking the WNBA single-game record while also surpassing A’ja Wilson’s single-season rebounding record.
She has also set WNBA single-season records for offensive rebounds and double-doubles.
At some point, that’s not something you can explain away with jokes.
She’s Becoming More Than a Rebounder
This is where I think Reese gets underrated.
People still talk about her like she’s basically just an elite rebounder who struggles offensively.
There are certainly weaknesses. Reese still isn’t an efficient outside shooter, and her offensive game isn’t anywhere near perfect.
But she’s getting better.
She’s scoring more, creating more for teammates and making a legitimate impact defensively. Her 16.1 points per game are a career high, and she recently had a career-high 31-point performance during Atlanta’s playoff push.
Maybe the Attention Actually Hurts Her Reputation
Reese is one of the most famous players in the WNBA.
But being famous doesn’t necessarily mean you’re overrated.
In Reese’s case, I think all the attention sometimes does the opposite.
Every missed layup becomes a viral clip. Every bad game becomes a discussion. Every offensive rebound becomes another “Mebounds” joke.
Meanwhile, Reese is breaking league records and helping Atlanta win.
She was just named Eastern Conference Player of the Week in consecutive weeks.
So yes.
I actually think Angel Reese has become underrated.
You don’t have to believe she’s the best player in the WNBA.
You don’t have to ignore her weaknesses.
But if we’re still talking about Reese like she’s nothing more than an inefficient player who grabs her own misses, we aren’t watching the same player anymore.
