By Jim Souhan

After the Lynx traded down a spot in the 2024 draft to avoid taking Angel Reese, I thought it was a mistake.

After the Lynx played exceptionally well without Reese, and the Chicago Sky couldn’t wait to get rid of Reese, I said that the Lynx had benefitted from the kind of cohesiveness that Reese may not have contributed to.

When Reese went to Atlanta, I said that this would be her chance to prove that she was a winning player, and that the Lynx were wrong.

Today, we can say that the Lynx were wrong.

Alissa Pili, the player the Lynx chose instead of Reese, is out of the league. Wednesday night, Reese played a major role in Atlanta taking a 2-0 lead over a Liberty team that embarrassed the Lynx in the first round.

She’s the defensive player of the year and already one of the best rebounders in league history. She can score, and her clutch baskets and free throws were instrumental in Atlanta’s victory Wednesday.

Reese is one victory away from playing in the WNBA Finals, while the Lynx are facing the possibility of losing Napheesa Collier in free agency and ranking the entire roster, which was exposed as soft and shallow in these playoffs.

Reeve was right about Reese coming out of college. Judging by Chicago’s actions, she wasn’t ready to be a good teammate.

Then again, Chicago is a bad team. Maybe Reese is allergic to incompetence.

Had the Lynx’s cohesiveness led to a title in 2024, Reese’s ascendance would be easier to swallow.

Given current results, it appears that the Lynx will be regretting the 2024 draft for years to come.

-The stat: Four of the top six vote-getters in the WNBA DPOY voting play for Atlanta or Golden State, both of which are up 2-0 in their semifinal playoff series.

-Nostalgia: I was in Yankee Stadium in 1996 when Jeffrey Maier interfered with a potential Yankees home run. Wednesday night, former Twin Griffin Jax allowed a seeming home run to Anthony Volpe in Yankee Stadium that was ruled a ground-rule double because of fan interference. What I remember most is working in an industry that sent writers everywhere to cover everything.

-The hot listen: The Jon Krawczynski Show is filled with intriguing insights this week.

-Want to advertise with Talknorth.com? Contact VP of business development Tami Henderson at THenderson@talknorth.com