Angel Reese and Teresa Weatherspoon

Getty Angel Reese and Teresa Weatherspoon.

Chicago Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon spoke with media on May 10. At one point in the interview, she was asked about Angel Reese’s evolving footwork with the “pick and pop” play.

“It’s a lot that we’re developing,” Weatherspoon responded, per Chicago State of Mind Sports. “[Reese] knows as well as anyone else some of the things that she wants to work on in this league, and to be better at. So we’re working on those things as we move forward.

“And for her to just be comfortable in it,” Weatherspoon added. “Just for her to be comfortable in a little something that’s different.”

The 2019 Basketball Hall of Fame inductee also said that, “But the one thing about Angel, she’s very very confident. She’s very confident in everything that she needs to do to be better.”

Weatherspoon’s comments are in line with an X post that Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune made on May 7.

The post shows Weatherspoon working with Reese and two other Sky forwards on their jump shots before Chicago’s preseason home game against the New York Liberty.

Reese’s Shooting Woes

Angel Reese put through physical challenge of WNBA in Chicago Sky training camp and makes it look easy | Marca

Reese’s lack of scoring outside of the paint has been a common criticism for the “Chi Barbie”.

According to an ESPN article from April 3, one anonymous WNBA general manager said of Reese, “I wish she had more range on her shot. I think that’s something that she needs to add.”

“I’d like to see her evolve her game outside of 10 feet,” another evaluator said. “If she’s going to play the four at the pro level, I think she’s got to work on her free throws and her outside shot.”

Reese is excellent at drawing fouls. Her 266 free throw attempts during her last season at LSU was second-best in the NCAA.

She was also third in the NCAA in free throws made, with 193. The only two players with more makes her were Juju Watkins (241) and Caitlin Clark (227).

Reese’s free throw percentage remained between 67.1% and 72.6% throughout her NCAA career.

While there’s room for improvement there, the fact that her free throw percentage improved during each season shows that she’s aiming to improve that aspect of her game.

Reese alluded to this during her May 8 media day for the Chicago Sky.

When asked if the outside shot is something she’s trying to add to her game, Reese said, “I continue to grow my game, and show my game. I took a jump shot the first game.”

“Of course, I’m not settling to be who I am right now,” she added, per Chicago State of Mind Sports. “I want to always grow my game. And I work out with coach [Weatherspoon] every single day.”

Weatherspoon Allowed Reese To Miss Practice For Met Gala

Coach Weatherspoon gave Reese permission to miss a portion of the Sky’s May 6 practice in order to attend the 2024 Met Gala.

When asked about this decision by Julia Poe, Weatherspoon said, “There were things that were in place for them that we thought were very important for them to be part of. That’s something they earned and that’s never something we’d ever take away.”

Reese’s fellow rookie Kamilla Cardoso was also allowed to leave practice early for a different event.