Angel Reese faced a mental battle after Sunday’s defeat against Caitlin Clark
Angel Reese faced a mental challenge after Sunday's loss to Caitlin Clark, reflecting on the emotional impact of the defeat.
Video Transcript
Angel Reese had a difficult time moving past Sunday's loss to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, admitting that the game stayed on her mind long after it ended.
Reese had a chance to give the Atlanta Dream a win with a potential game-winning layup, but she missed at the rim, and the moment quickly spread across social media, where she was mocked for nearly 24 hours.
After the loss, Reese said she struggled to sleep because of what happened.
"I didn't sleep, and the competitor in me wanted to win that game so bad," Reese said.
She explained that she replayed the missed layup repeatedly, but eventually reminded herself that one moment should not define everything else happening in her life and season.
Reese then responded the best way she could by getting back on the court.
Just two days later, she helped Atlanta bounce back with a strong performance against the Las Vegas Aces, recording 21 points and 10 rebounds in a 97 to 82 victory.
After the game, Reese also discussed the defensive challenge of facing A'ja Wilson, saying she wanted to put pressure on her and deflect as many passes as possible while understanding that Wilson would still get her shots.
The performance gave Reese a chance to move forward from the disappointment against Indiana and immediately contribute to another Dream victory.
Her season overall has remained productive, with Reese averaging 15.7 points and 12.0 rebounds per game.
The loss to the Fever was difficult, but Reese showed a quick response by returning to the court and producing against Las Vegas.
She also has another opportunity ahead with USA Basketball, as she is set to represent the United States at the FIBA World Cup.
The United States will begin its World Cup run against China on September 4th.
For Reese, the sequence from Sunday's missed layup to Tuesday's performance highlighted how quickly a difficult moment can turn into an opportunity to respond.
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