Angel Reese had this major shortcoming during her WNBA rookie season

Angel Reese has put up historic numbers in the rebounding department in her first season in the WNBA. However, one glaring weakness may actually be a primary source of her rebounding prowess.

We'll take a look at what held Reese back this season. All upcoming statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference unless otherwise noted.

Reese has been grabbing rebounds in the WNBA at a higher clip than almost anyone else in league history. For 28 straight games through her final game on September 6, she has snagged at least 10 boards per game.

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However, a possible reason why Reese has become such a prolific rebounder might be because she retrieves so many of her own missed shots, which there have been a lot of in the 2024 WNBA season.

Sporting News wrote that Reese is the worst finisher in the WNBA, and that it isn’t particularly close. They note that the Sky All-Star forward is shooting less than 44 percent on layups, which are defined as attempts five feet away from the basket or closer.

This is well below the WNBA average, as nearly 60 percent of shots at the rim have been finished so far this season in the league.

After an August game, teammate Chennedy Carter acknowledged Reese’s struggles from close to the hoop, but also supported her efforts. “Twenty rebounds, she had an incredible game, no matter if she finished at the rim. She’s doing the things that we need her to do in order for us to be successful… These are situations that we can learn from,” she told Athlon Sports.

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The Sky have been in a dogfight down the stretch of the WNBA season. Every game and every point matters with regard to Chicago’s playoff hopes. Unfortunately, Reese's season ended early due to injury, with her last game coming on September 6.

Marca noted that in an August game against the Las Vegas Aces, Reese grabbed four consecutive offensive rebounds off of her own missed shots. It can be viewed positively; that Reese has the energy and drive to pursue the ball that many times. It can also be viewed negatively; that she has that many opportunities at the basket and can’t convert.

Sporting News notes that even if the rebounds Reese got off of her own misses were removed from her statistics, she would still lead the league in offensive rebounds. While her lack of production at the rim has padded her stats in this regard, she’s still been a league-leader in that department without that additional volume.

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While Reese’s numbers on the glass may go down if she made more shots, her productivity has the potential to increase dramatically. Sports Illustrated calls Reese’s potential improvement on layups an easy path to improvement, and believes that it will raise her game a lot if she’s able to accomplish this.