I do not consider this so reasonable. It is better to say that, in general, for every spatial dimension u, there is a corresponding momentum \(p_u\). In spherical coordinates that could be latitude \(\theta\) and longitude \(\phi\) angles as well as distance from the center of coordinates, \(r\). If the energy states are not dependent on coordinate u, then \(p_u\) is a conserved quantity. For an ice skater, her spin angle can be seen as a longitude angle \(\phi\); he angular momentum, \(p_{\phi}\) is conserved if the ice is smooth enough.
But the author's use of analogy here is OK.