Kim Mulkey responds to Angel Reese critics: 'If they're winners, they find a way to beat you'

During Angel Reese’s rookie season with the Chicago Sky, she faced criticism about her efficiency. The former LSU star shot 39.1% from the field while averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game.

Reese’s former coach Kim Mulkey offered a strong response to those critics, though. She noted Reese has a national championship ring from her time in Baton Rouge and offered comparisons to similar conversations she heard before.

Mulkey weighed in on the dialogue about Reese’s game during Friday’s preseason game as the Sky took on the Brazil national team at the PMAC on LSU’s campus. She acknowledged criticism and critiques come with the territory in professional sports, but pointed out players who win can find multiple ways to beat teams.

“I always get tickled at people who criticize and critique,” Mulkey said. “And I always say, they have championship rings. They have championship rings. I remember Dennis Rodman, couldn’t shoot outside the paint. I coached a young lady back in the day at Louisiana Tech, ‘Well, she has no left hand.’ I said, ‘Why do we care? You can’t stop the right hand.’

“You can critique players, you can critique people all day long. At the end of the day, if they’re winners, they find a way to beat you.”

Reese rose to stardom at LSU after transferring from Maryland and put together a career season in 2023-24 as the Tigers won the national title. She averaged a career-best 23 points and 15.4 rebounds per game to become a first team All-American. As a senior in 2023-24, her numbers dropped, but were still strong with 18.6 points and 13.4 rebounds per game as she earned second team All-American honors.

That set the table for the Sky to select Reese with the No. 7 overall pick in the WNBA Draft. She joined Caitlin Clark as rookies to make the All-Star team while setting the WNBA’s record for consecutive double-doubles with 15 straight, and her 23 double-doubles set a new rookie season.

Now, Angel Reese will look to take a leap forward under first-year Chicago coach Tyler Marsh. The Sky also added fire power in this year’s WNBA Draft by bringing in one of her former LSU teammates, as well. Chicago selected Hailey Van Lith with the No. 11 overall pick in the draft, and she came off the bench in Friday’s game – marking a return to Baton Rouge for both players.