Angel Reese barely saw the court for Team Coop at the WNBA All-Star game, playing a game-low nine minutes and finishing with zero points, five rebounds, and four assists in their 129-122 loss to Team Spoon. You read that right, zero points. But before anyone could even start to freak out about the shockingly short appearance, there’s a simple, and actually smart, reason for it. This wasn’t about performance; it was about pure health, and that’s good news for the Atlanta Dream.
Why Only Nine Minutes? The Injury Scoop
Here’s the real story: Reese hit the All-Star Game less than a week after suffering a left leg injury. She had a scary moment when her knee buckled attempting a layup during Atlanta’s 93-91 win over the Chicago Sky back on July 19. She got up, went down again, and eventually had to leave the game. Dream coach Karl Smesko later said Reese wanted to keep playing, but he was not comfortable putting her back out there after seeing how much pain she was in. So, while she recovered enough to actually participate in the All-Star festivities, Team Coop coach Becky Hammon had zero reason to push her during an exhibition game. There wasn’t an official minutes restriction announced, but those nine minutes were a loud-and-clear sign: the plan was to let Reese be part of the show while absolutely minimizing any risk of making that injury worse. Why risk a superstar for a meaningless exhibition? Exactly.
Making Moves Without Scoring
Despite the zero points, Reese’s box score did not tell the full story, not even close. She still hauled in five rebounds and dished out four assists in those nine minutes. The real kicker? Reese finished with a plus-11 rating, the best mark among any Team Coop player. Think about that: her team outscored Team Spoon by 11 points while she was on the court, even though they ended up losing the game by seven. This performance, even in limited time, shows off her developing playmaking skills. She was creating opportunities for her teammates, attacking the glass, and helping Team Coop play some of their best basketball of the night. Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 26 points and Marina Mabrey added 23 for Team Coop, with Paige Bueckers grabbing 12 points and seven assists. Team Spoon’s MVP Jonquel Jones put up 22 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, and Caitlin Clark hit five 3-pointers for 17 points.
Atlanta is not playing games with its superstar. Before the All-Star break, Reese was averaging 15.4 points and 11.5 rebounds, leading the entire WNBA in rebounding. The Dream do not play again until July 29 against the Dallas Wings. That extra time means more recovery for Reese. It is all about making sure she is healthy and ready to dominate when the regular season action kicks back into high gear.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
Leave a Reply