Angel Reese’s return to Unrivaled was great news for pretty much everyone involved. The Rose’s roster gets some much-needed new energy, Unrivaled gets another fan magnet, and fans get to see Reese in action again. At the same time, however, joining a team for the homestretch of the season puts Reese in a difficult position: She will have to re-acclimate to three-on-three basketball quickly, and her margin for error is very small.
The regular season is almost over already. Rose BC only has three regular-season games left. They still have to face the Hive, the Laces, and the Phantom. The latter two already clinched a playoff spot. Reese’s Rose team, on the other hand, sits in fifth place with a 5-6 record and still needs to solidify itself as a playoff squad. So, Reese has to impact winning immediately and will have little room for mistakes that often come with joining a new team—and, in this case, the league—late in the season.
Reese could be a huge difference-maker
If Reese can step into the Rose’s rotation without any hiccups, she could immediately swing the team’s fortunes. She was one of four players who averaged a double-double last season, putting up 13.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Reese was also named Defensive Player of the Year.
Shakira Austin has been a strong inside presence for the Rose, but Reese could be the key to getting the team back to contending with the league's top teams.
With the season almost over, the Laces, Phantom, and Mist look like legitimate contenders. All three of those teams have an All-WNBA-level big/forward. The Laces have Alyssa Thomas, Aliyah Boston stars for the Phantom, and Breanna Stewart headlines a stacked Mist roster. Reese’s presence can only help against that kind of competition.
Nevertheless, fans shouldn’t forget that Reese hasn’t played Unrivaled-style basketball since last season, while everyone else in the league has been in Miami since January.
Seeing Reese go to the semifinals with the Rose would be great for Unrivaled
After a resounding success in Philadelphia, Unrivaled will be on the road again in the playoffs. The semifinals will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Fans will come to the arena no matter what—the record-setting attendance in Philadelphia proved that—but fans may be even more inclined to buy tickets if they expect a big-time star like Angel Reese to play in the semifinals.
The Rose, featuring pretty much the same players, also entered last season’s playoffs as an underdog. They struggled to start the season, but turned things around and took down the Laces and Vinyl on the way to Unrivaled’s first championship.
So, even though the team struggled recently, it’s not time to count it out quite yet. Betting against Chelsea Gray usually isn’t a wise choice.