From Underdog to Unstoppable: How Angel Reese Is Evolving into Chicago Sky’s Relentless Engine—and Why Dwyane Wade Thinks She’s the WNBA’s More Aggressive Draymond Green
In a league that demands growth, grit, and greatness from its rising stars, Angel Reese is not only answering the call—she’s rewriting the narrative around what it means to lead, to evolve, and to become the kind of player opponents dread and fans adore.
Over the past month, the second-year forward has taken a massive leap forward, averaging a jaw-dropping 19.1 points and 14.4 rebounds per game across eight intense matchups, a stretch that didn’t just reflect her personal growth, but significantly shifted the momentum for a struggling Chicago Sky team that had started the season 3-10.
While the Sky’s recent 4-4 record may not sound groundbreaking, in context, it represents a surge of hope, resilience, and redefinition—driven almost entirely by the hunger, tenacity, and ever-expanding skill set of a 22-year-old who is rapidly transforming into one of the WNBA’s most important young leaders.
When Angel Reese missed the recent game against the Atlanta Dream due to a leg injury, the Sky were outscored 86-49 on their home court, a blowout loss that did more than hurt the scoreboard—it highlighted just how vital Reese’s presence, rebounding, and energy are to the very identity of this team.
For the season, she’s averaging 14 points and a league-best 12.6 rebounds per game, with noticeable increases in her assists and shooting efficiency compared to her rookie campaign—progress that rightfully earned her a second consecutive All-Star selection, a rare feat for a sophomore in such a competitive league.
NBA legend and Sky minority owner Dwyane Wade, never one to offer shallow praise, recently took to his platform to celebrate Reese’s explosive development, saying with conviction: “Angel Reese is hoopin’, dawg. Her game is opening up, her bag is opening up, her confidence is getting even higher.”
On his show Time Out with Dwyane Wade, he didn’t hold back, comparing her to none other than Draymond Green—an NBA champion and one of the most cerebral, versatile, and polarizing players of his era—but with a twist: Wade believes Reese is a more aggressive version, particularly when it comes to how she’s being used offensively.
Wade elaborated that Reese, like Draymond, is being entrusted with initiating offense, controlling tempo, distributing passes, rebounding with ferocity, and even operating as a point-forward at times—but unlike Green, she’s also tasked with being a consistent scoring threat, adding an entirely new layer of pressure and responsibility.
While Angel isn’t yet the defensive powerhouse that Draymond Green has built his reputation on, Wade’s insight reveals something deeper: Reese is becoming the kind of multidimensional player who doesn’t just fit into a system—she bends the system around her instincts, energy, and relentless motor.
In Golden State, Draymond has often been the overlooked axis of the Warriors’ movement-heavy offense, setting up stars like Steph Curry through his elite passing and awareness—likewise, Reese is slowly becoming that same connective force for the Sky, but with the added expectation of putting up points night in and night out.
To describe her role simply as a glue player would be a disservice; Angel Reese is more like a fusion of a star and a glue guy, someone who can rebound like a center, pass like a guard, lead like a veteran, and bring the fire that ignites an entire roster, both emotionally and tactically.
Her standout performance against the league-leading Minnesota Lynx, where she dropped 11 points in the first quarter alone to help Chicago secure a statement win, wasn’t just another stat line—it was a declaration that she’s no longer content being “promising,” because she’s actively becoming dominant.
Despite the Sky holding one of the worst records in the league, this recent surge led by Reese offers something you can’t measure in a box score: belief, momentum, and the contagious sense that something bigger is starting to brew within this young, hungry team.
Wade noted, “It’s been fun to watch them grow this year … You like to see a team go through the ebbs and flow but then figure it out,” emphasizing how Angel is stepping into leadership not just by stats, but by asserting herself in the decision-making, execution, and overall chemistry of the squad.
With half the season now behind them, Chicago still has work to do, and playoff contention might feel far-fetched—but what’s undeniable is that Angel Reese is laying down the foundation for a future where the Sky are no longer underdogs, and where she is no longer an up-and-comer, but a central figure in the league’s evolution.
She’s not just in her bag—she’s building her own brand of basketball, one that blends raw passion, statistical dominance, and a refusal to be boxed into old definitions of what a forward can or should be, especially in a sport that often underestimates young women until they make it impossible to look away.
So when Dwyane Wade compares Angel Reese to Draymond Green—with a sharper edge, a fiercer presence, and a scoring mindset—you don’t just listen to the metaphor; you start to see it playing out in real time, on real courts, by a player who’s only just beginning to unlock her full power.
And if she keeps this up, we won’t be comparing her to anyone much longer—because Angel Reese is on her way to becoming the standard, not the echo.