Sophie Cunningham‘s co-host, Drew Hanlen, had a bold criticism of Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese. On Monday’s episode of the “No Hesitation” podcast, the NBA trainer acknowledged the improvements in Reese’s game. However, he pointed out that the former LSU star needs to work on her touch around the rim.
“Improving her touch around the rim is ultimately what’s going to lead her to being the player that she can become… Just offensively, that’s the next step,” he said.
Reese has always been criticized for being an inefficient shooter. During her first two years with the Chicago Sky, the star forward was called out for not being able to finish at the rim.
After Hanlen’s comments, several of Reese’s fans called him out. However, Sophie Cunningham’s co-host doubled down. He posted a graphic on X that showed her shooting stats compared to Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson.
“Despite giving Angel a ton of love for being DPOY & All-Star, some of her fans were mad that we said “improving her touch” & making her layups are the next steps for her development,” Hanlen wrote. “This season, she shot 32.5% from 3-10 feet (touch) and missed over half of her layups.”
Despite her inconsistent offense, Angel Reese still played a significant role in helping the Dream make the Finals. The star forward averaged 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists in her first season in Atlanta. She also won her first Defensive Player of the Year award.
Sophie Cunningham Wants to Know Why Many WNBA Players Miss Open Layups
Angel Reese is not the only player who has missed several wide-open layups. Other WNBA players have become victims of making such offensive mistakes. Sophie Cunningham brought it up on her podcast and wanted to know the reason behind it.
“Why do women basketball players… why do we miss so many wide-open layups?” she pondered. “Like, it’s a joke because it actually happens. Like, what the f**k is that?”
Drew Hanlen gave his explanation.
“I think, I think the biggest thing is athleticism. You know what I mean? You’re not as close to the basket and stuff like that. I think another thing is strength isn’t the same as the men’s, where they can take the bumps and the hits, physicality when you’re finishing over.”
Sophie Cunningham pointed out that WNBA players miss wide-open layups. However, Hanlen admitted he has no answer to the question.
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Edited by Reign Amurao
