Reese ready to earn pro role
The record-breaking attention women’s basketball has garnered over the past month has the opportunity to bleed into the WNBA as a new, big personality class of women are set to be drafted. One of them, Angel Reese, is eager to make more waves.
The former LSU star has played a large role in growing the sport, especially alongside Caitlin Clark as the two faced off in a heated and flashy NCAA women’s basketball tournament final last year. It proved just as highly desired by fans this year in their Elite Eight rematch that drew 12.3 million viewers.
Those numbers only grew to break the women’s college basketball record viewership at an average 18.7 million for the Iowa vs. South Carolina final, blowing out the men’s championship’s 14.8 million viewers along with any other basketball game (men’s or women’s and college or professional) since 2019.
“Being able to raise women’s sports is amazing,” Reese said while performing a predraft “shift” at Raising Cane’s in Astor Place in Manhattan on Friday morning. “I think I’ve done a lot in college and so many different players have done the same thing. Being able to take this to the W is where you want to do it at. And I think they deserve it, especially the vets. I mean they’ve done a great job, laying the groundwork for us.”
“It’s crazy how the game is going right now and being able to surpass the men. It’s exciting and I think our games are so much more interesting right now and so many people are tuning in and watching us,” she added. “I love it. Being able to be a part of this, I want to be a great player but I always want to leave my impact, and I think I’ve done that.”
Through Vogue, Reese declared for Monday’s WNBA Draft. The star is joined by Clark, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, Stanford’s Cameron Brink, Connecticut’s Aaliyah Edwards, and more to bring new energy into the WNBA.
It’s something veterans have celebrated, but they also warn the star power won’t come as easily. Three-time WNBA champ Diana Taurasi notably made a comment to ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt during March Madness that “reality” awaits the newbies.
Nevertheless, Reese has already recognized this and has continuously expressed her desire to be on the bottom under talented veterans after accomplishing everything she wished at the college level.
“I’m gonna be a rookie in a big league where there are a lot of women out there that have been great before me, and they set the tone. I’m going in with respect for who they are and what they have done,” Reese said. “I know the game is about to go crazy. I know the viewership is going up and I’ve been seeing all the things on social media like how it would elevate that, even if it’s just the rookies, being able to give that publicity to the vets because they do deserve it.”
The league has struggled to capitalize on marketing their star college players once they enter the pros, seemingly losing track of them. Yet, Reese seems to believe her draft class can change that. If the WNBA is willing to lean into this momentum, the 12-team league could see new horizons ahead.
“I want to be a great player and I want to leave my legacy within the league. And also just have that impact that I do have,” she said. “I think so many different things are going to change within the league and it’s going to be able to go up more and more . ... Women are leading the way right now.”