Rebounding Legend Dennis Rodman Never Faced Scoring Criticism Like Angel Reese

Shandel Richardson | Aug 27, 2024

Dennis Rodman shares his thoughts with an official during a March 1998 game. / Anne Ryan, USA TODAY, USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

This was Dennis Rodman's career in a nutshell: great rebounder, below average scorer.

Sound familiar? If you're a WNBA fan, it should.

Rookie sensation Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky is getting roasted on the Internet for her poor scoring. She is shooting 23 of 71 (32 percent) from the field in the last five games.

Critics say she is purposely missing close-range shots to pad her stats. An ESPN headline read: "Reese pads 20-rebound streak." Another from Outkick; "Angel Reese ties rookie rebounding record despite scoring woes ..."

It even prompted a response from Reese, who is on a WBNA-record, three-game streak with at least 20 rebounds.

She wrote on X: “If it was easy, everybody would be doing it. We good!” 

if it was easy, everybody would be doing it. we good! #skytown

— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) August 25, 2024

WNBA great Rebecca Lobo came to Reese's defense during an appearance on SportsCenter.

"Some of her critics like to say, you know, 'Well, she gets a lot of offensive rebounds off of her own misses," Lobo said. "Well, our stats and information group looked that up. If you take away all of the offensive rebounds off her own misses, guess what? She's still leading the league in offensive rebounds per game. She has been historically remarkable on the glass."

Most of the criticism comes because of Reese's brash. She also has a supposed with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, which both say is untrue.

That brings me to Rodman.

He was considered an offensive liability but made up for it with rebounding and defense. He never drew criticism. He was applauded for doing the dirty work.

Some may say they are treated differently because Reese was the No. 7 pick in the draft while Rodman entered with a lower profile. Regardless, the treatment seems unfair to Reese.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

Follow our coverage and updates on Facebook

X: @BackInTheDayNBA