Angel Reese Has Cutting Response for ‘Mebounds’ Haters After Record-Setting Performance

For those paying attention (don’t worry, I’ll do it for you), a peculiar thing has emerged amidst Caitlin Clark’s second-year malaise: Angel Reese is playing better basketball.

On Sunday, Reese put up 24 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and a steal against the Los Angeles Sparks. The game marked the fourth in a row where Reese grabbed 15+ boards, setting a new WNBA record.

But these are all mebounds! She’s only grabbing her own missed shots! This shouldn’t even count!

Whoa, not so fast.

Reese shot 52 percent from the field on Sunday, not an awful night by her standards and much better than Caitlin Clark in the two games before she got injured.

Further, Reese defended her performance and the “mebounds” charges against her in her post-game comments.

“I always say to myself before every game, ‘God doesn’t give me any storm that I can’t handle,'” Reese told ESPN.

Reese did concede that she did not play well in the first eight games of the season, but emphasized that she had found new ways to contribute, which has made her a better player.

“When you get rebounds, it’s never a negative,” she said in her post-game conference. “When somebody can’t stop you on the boards, I mean that leads to more points for us. I look at it as a positive … I only had four [offensive] boards, so wasn’t just ‘mebounds’ tonight.”

No lie detected. Most of Reese’s rebounding was not of the “mebound” variety, and she has become a powerful contributor while also becoming a more efficient shooter.

If Caitlin Clark doesn’t get back on the floor and resume her former form, it’s not inconceivable that Reese could pass her in the MVP voting.