Angel Reese’s Layup Struggles Have Sophie Cunningham Asking Question: ‘WTF Is That?!’

This article was written by Mark J. Burns and published on Sport & State, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
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Angel Reese’s layup struggles have drawn plenty of attention and scrutiny during her WNBA career. You might have seen complete social media mashups highlighting Reese’s inability to finish at the rim, like the video below from a single game.

Now, soon-to-be free agent Sophie Cunningham and her podcast co-host Drew Hanlen directly pointed toward the Atlanta Dream forward’s struggles around the basket during the WNBA Finals.

How does Angel Reese miss all these WIDE OPEN layups in one game ???????????? https://t.co/qgPTG8nfCk

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) July 21, 2026

“This is the thing that holds her back because in Games 2 and 3, she looked so dominant,” said Hanlen on the latest episode of No Hesitation.

Cunningham responded, “But it’s because she was making her layups. … She was dominant because she was making these.”

In Games 4-7, Reese went 12 of 45 from the field, with Hanlen describing the misses as “they’re just all layups.” Reese also committed a whopping 19 turnovers during the four-game stretch.

“Improving her touch around the rim is ultimately what’s going to lead her to being the player that she can become,” he said.

Sophie Cunningham & Drew Hanlen discuss Angel Reese’s lack of finishing 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…”

(via @NoHesiShow) https://t.co/3OtuDFltCq

— Kyle Ingram (@SnapshotKyle) November 2, 2026

“She was literally looking like the MVP because of the consistency of her making her layups,” Cunningham said.

“She is tall, she is strong, she gets these shots. … That’s always been the name of the game for her. I’m not saying anything no one hasn’t said.”

Later in the podcast, Cunningham asked Hanlen why so many women’s basketball players miss wide open layups. She didn’t mention Reese by name, but it’s hard to argue she didn’t have the three-time All Star in mind when she popped the question.

“It’s a joke because it actually happens,” Cunningham said. “Like, what the f*ck is that?”

Hanlen explained that it’s a combination of athleticism, distance from the basket, and an inability to absorb contact.

“But, dude, these are wide open layups, though?” said Cunningham, leading to an eventual smile and laugh from Hanlen.

“Some of those, I have no answer for you to be honest with you,” he said. “The open ones, I have no answer for you. I have none.”

Frankly, I don’t have an answer for you either, but you know what they say, practice makes perfect.

Get your shots up this offseason.

Follow Mark J. Burns on X @markjburns88