Angel Reese is a professional basketball player from the United States, currently playing for the Chicago Sky in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Known by the nicknames “Bayou Barbie” and “Chi Barbie,” she previously competed in college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins and the LSU Tigers.
Early Life & Family
Angel Reese was born on May 6, 2002, in Randallstown, Maryland, to parents Angel and Michael Reese. From an early age, she was introduced to basketball by her mother and often played against her brother, Julian, in their driveway. Reese also participated in a recreational league in Baltimore County, where her mother was a player as well.
Education
Before experiencing two growth spurts by her freshman year of high school, Reese played as a point guard. Alongside basketball, she also participated in ballet, gymnastics, swimming, and track during her early years.
Angel Reese attended Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, where she earned McDonald’s All-American recognition in 2020 and was ranked as the second-best player in her class by ESPN.
She subsequently joined the Maryland Terrapins as the highest-rated recruit in the program’s history; however, her freshman season in 2020–21 was marred by a fractured right foot.
As a sophomore, she received third-team All-American honors from the Associated Press. In her junior year, Reese transferred to LSU, where she was unanimously selected as a first-team All-American.
She played a pivotal role in leading LSU to its inaugural national championship, earning the title of Most Outstanding Player.
Additionally, she established the NCAA single-season record for double-doubles and the SEC single-season record for rebounds. In her senior year, she was honored as the SEC Player of the Year and recognized as an All-American.
Angel Reese Career
Angel Reese frequently went to Washington Mystics games, finding motivation in the performances of WNBA athletes Candace Parker and Maya Moore, along with the influence of Baltimore native and former NBA player Muggsy Bogues.
Reese was chosen as the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky. She made her debut in the WNBA on May 15, 2024, scoring 12 points and grabbing eight rebounds in an 87–79 defeat against the Dallas Wings.
On June 2, she received a $1,000 fine for failing to speak with reporters following a loss to the Indiana Fever, during which her teammate Chennedy Carter committed a significant foul on Caitlin Clark of the Fever.
On June 20, Angel Reese achieved her seventh consecutive double-double, the longest streak for a rookie in WNBA history, by recording 16 points and 18 rebounds in an 83–72 victory over the Dallas Wings.
In her subsequent game three days later, she scored 25 points and secured 16 rebounds in an 88–87 win against the Indiana Fever.
By June 30, she had reached her 10th consecutive double-double, contributing 10 points and 16 rebounds in a 70–62 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, surpassing Candace Parker’s record for the longest single-season double-double streak in WNBA history.
Reese was honored as the league’s Rookie of the Month for June, where she averaged 14.5 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. On July 2, 2024, she received an invitation to the WNBA All-Star Game.
Then, on July 7, Angel Reese achieved her 13th straight double-double, contributing 17 points and 14 rebounds in an 84–71 loss to the Seattle Storm, thereby breaking Parker’s record for the longest streak over multiple seasons.
On July 9, she received the WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week award. Reese made history as the first rookie to achieve a double-double in the WNBA All-Star Game, concluding the match with 12 points and 11 rebounds in a 117–109 victory against the United States national team.
On August 25, she recorded at least 20 rebounds for the third consecutive game during a 77–75 defeat to the Las Vegas Aces, a feat that no other WNBA player had accomplished in successive games.
On September 1, Angel Reese surpassed the WNBA single-season rebounding record previously held by Sylvia Fowles, contributing 17 points and 19 rebounds in a 79–74 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.
Her rookie season came to an end on September 6 when she suffered a hairline fracture in her wrist during a game against the Los Angeles Sparks. She concluded the season with averages of 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.
National Team
Angel Reese participated in the selection trials for the United States team for the 2017 FIBA Under-16 Women’s Americas Championship but ultimately did not make the final roster. In 2018, she was a finalist for the Under-17 World Cup team but did not secure a spot.
For the 2019 Under-19 World Cup team, Reese was named a finalist but chose to withdraw in order to compete in the Nike EYBL.
Additionally, she opted out of consideration for the 2021 Under-19 World Cup due to health concerns, despite having received an invitation to the team trials and being a finalist.
Angel Reese made her debut with the United States national team during the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup held in Mexico. In her inaugural match, she contributed 11 points and 9 rebounds, leading her team to an 80–54 victory against Venezuela.
In the quarterfinals, she excelled with 13 points and 18 rebounds, helping secure a 68–49 win over Colombia. Ultimately, she played a key role in her team’s silver medal achievement, recording four points and six rebounds in the final, where they faced Brazil and lost 69–58.
