Team USA head coach Kara Lawson wasted no time sharing her thoughts on Angel Reese during a training camp held in Durham, North Carolina. As USA Basketball builds toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics under new leadership, Reese quickly stood out to Lawson.
Lawson provided insight into what sets Reese apart. “She’s great. Got a great personality, works hard in practices, wants to be good, coachable, just all the things you would expect from a good young player,” Lawson said during media availability. “She’s physical, competitive, so I thought it was great to see that.”
This past weekend was Lawson’s first official camp as Team USA head coach, and she came in and immediately set a high-intensity, physical tone throughout camp. Reese fit into that system and should be on track for a future with the senior national team.
Reese fits the future vision of Team USA
After a strong sophomore season with the Chicago Sky, Angel Reese’s play style and mentality fit with how Lawson wants the next iteration of national teams to play. Reese's physicality and competitiveness align well with the team's future needs and are the type of play Lawson desires.
Reese emphasized what allowed her to click with Team USA head coach Kara Lawson quickly. “I love hard coaching, I love somebody that’s going to get on me and is going to tell me and be very intentional with me and everybody else and do whatever is best for the team,” Reese said during media availability.
That mentality is what quickly allowed Reese and Lawson to form a good connection over the weekend. Reese also provided some insight into the similarities between her and Team USA head coach Lawson. “She’s about her business, just like me,” Reese added. “At the end of the day, I think she wants to win, and she’s going to have fun while doing it.”
This first training camp under Lawson was the start of building the next era of USA Basketball. Reese was one of ten newcomers. Understanding the pedestal of this program, which has lost only three Olympic games in history ever, and is currently on a 61-game winning streak, is very important. Lawson undoubtedly understands the standard, having won a gold medal herself in 2008.
For Reese, the message from the Team USA camp was CLEAR. She handled this invaluable experience by embracing the honor, and by showing she belongs and fits what they want, and, most importantly, she seems to have won Kara Lawson's trust.
Ultimately, her elite rebounding and defense are highly valued, but improving her offensive versatility and shot consistency are crucial for her long-term potential on the international stage and making the 2026 World Cup team–which is one of her big goals, as she noted on her podcast Unapologetically Angel—and eventually the roster for the 2028 Olympics.
While Lawson spoke highly of Reese and she fits what Team USA will need in the future, making the national team won’t be easy—even if one could argue that not adding Reese to the roster would be a missed opportunity. The training camp was filled with newcomers, but there aren’t enough roster spots available for all of them with veteran stars A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, and Sabrina Ionescu, among others, still firmly in the mix. Given that the 2026 World Cup will take place in September, right before the postseason if the 2026 season isn’t delayed significantly, some veterans might opt out to save their bodies for the playoffs, giving more youngsters a chance.