Angel Reese is her own biggest critic. Ahead of the Atlanta Dream‘s latest game against the Las Vegas Aces, Reese spoke with the media about what was going through her head when she made a costly mistake against the Indiana Fever on Sunday, August 16.
The Atlanta Dream faced off for the fourth time this season against the Indiana Fever on Sunday, August 16. Throughout the game, the Dream held a steady lead over Caitlin Clark and her teammates.
However, by the end of the fourth quarter, the game was tied. With seconds left on the clock, Rhyne Howard airballed a three-point shot right into Reese’s hands, who then attempted to put it back up for the game-winning layup, but ultimately missed it.
The moment made headlines and prompted many Reese detractors to weigh in on her game. But Reese didn’t need to hear from her critics, since she told the media she knew she’d made a critical error.
“Yeah, I knew how much my team needed me. Like I said last game, it was very tough for me. I didn’t sleep, and the competitor in me wanted to win that game so bad, I replayed that play so many times, but I’m like, why would I let one moment dictate everything else that I have going on that is positive?” she said.
Angel Reese Had A Bounce-Back Game Against The Defending Champs
3The Dream’s loss to the Fever shook the table. Plus, it came right before another challenging contest against the then second-ranked team, the Aces.
The reverse happened, though, according to The Blast. The Dream won 97-82 and was led by Howard (27 points) and Reese and Allisha Gray (21 points).
The win, though, wasn’t surprising for Reese, who said after the game that she stepped on the hardwood with a clear goal in mind.
“It would have been negative for me not to come out tonight and just bounce back, and I knew they expected it from me, so just being able to do it obviously against [Aces star center A’ja Wilson], trying to deflect as many passes as I can, I mean she’s going to get her shots up of course. But just knowing my spots and how great I am defensively to put pressure on her,” she said.
Angel Reese Sings Her Teammate’s Praises
Elsewhere during last night’s press conference, Reese took a moment to praise her teammate, Gray, who’s been a reliable veteran player for the LSU alum to rely on.
“She’s just a solid bucket. She shows up for us every single night. The consistency that she continues to give, the sisterhood that she pulls for me, always being that for me, having my back through everything,” she said.
Reese added, “When I missed that shot in the [Indiana] Fever game, her and Rhyne [Howard] were the first two right there because they know in practice every day those are things I work on. Those are things that I finish, and they know how hard I am on myself. So, being able to have sisters in the locker room and people around you that just pour into you so much. … Obviously, she’s a great player but even a better person.”
How Does Reese Deal With Negativity?
3Relying on her teammates to get her through the tough moments is just part of Reese’s wellness strategy. During a previous interview, Reese said she utilizes other tools to help her along the way, too.
“I always have thick skin, but we all have emotions, and I think it’s important to value each emotion and take time with each emotion. And at a point, when you bottle it all up, you will explode,” she said. “But having good people to talk to, sitting with myself, meditating, writing things down helps. A lot of things don’t really bother me as much anymore.”
Reese Has Learned How To Give Herself Grace
3But most importantly, Reese gives herself the grace she knows she deserves. “It’s remembering I’m still a person that’s living this life for the first time. I’m only 24, and there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs, highs and lows,” she said.
“I try to stay in the moment as much as I can, because I’m only going to be young once. So just live, have a good time, have fun with everything, and enjoy experiences. I take a lot of pictures of things to capture memories,” she added.
