Just a few days ago, Angel Reese, the No. 7 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, made history by surpassing Sylvia Fowles‘ record of 404 rebounds in a single season. With eight games still left to play, Reese has already secured her place in the record books, averaging 13.3 rebounds per game-a pace that could give her the highest season average in WNBA history.
Reese’s dominance on the boards dates back to her days at LSU, where she was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and led her team to the National Championship in 2023, defeating her “nemesis” Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Reese’s Transformation Over the Years
A video of Angel Reese has been circulating recently, showcasing her transformation over the years. In truth, she looks almost the same as she did in 2017 when she attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, compared to now with the Chicago Sky (11-21).
During high school, Reese was named All-Metro Player of the Year after averaging 22.6 points and 19.3 rebounds per game. She finished her high school career with 1,720 points and 1,250 rebounds, making her the second-highest scorer in St. Frances history.
Highly recruited, Reese was ranked as the number two player in the 2020 class and committed to the University of Maryland on November 1, 2019.
College Years
Angel Reese’s college basketball career was nothing short of remarkable, beginning at Maryland and later transferring to LSU. As a freshman at Maryland, she was a key player despite suffering a Jones fracture that sidelined her for much of the season. Upon her return, she helped Maryland win both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, averaging 10 points and six rebounds per game. Her sophomore year was a “redemption year,” where she regained her confidence and averaged 17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, becoming the first Maryland player since 1975 to average a double-double. After an impressive sophomore season, she entered the transfer portal in search of a fresh start.
Reese’s transfer to LSU marked the beginning of a historic junior season, where she set several records, including an NCAA single-season record with 34 double-doubles. She led LSU to its first national championship in 2023, earning the Most Outstanding Player award for the tournament.
Her senior season at LSU was equally impressive, as she averaged 18.6 points and 13.4 rebounds per game and was named SEC Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Reese shared the Sporting News Athlete of the Year honors with Caitlin Clark and was a unanimous first-team All-American.
She declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft, where she was projected to be a first-round pick, solidifying her status as one of the top players in college basketball.
WNBA Rookie Season
Selected with the seventh pick in this year’s draft-the most-watched in history-Reese has broken multiple records this season.
She has recorded the most consecutive double-doubles by any player with 15, her 13.3 RPG is the highest ever averaged in WNBA history, and she is already the single-season rebound leader with 418, on pace to become the first to reach 500.
Despite all these records, her team’s performance is a more pressing concern.
Since returning from the Olympic break, the Sky has won just one of their last eight games and is tied for the last playoff spot with the Atlanta Dream (11-21), whom they will face in the second-to-last game of the season-a match likely to have playoff implications.
Today, the Sky faces the Las Vegas Aces (20-12) in a must-win game, as a loss coupled with an Atlanta win over Phoenix would knock Reese and the Sky out of playoff contention.
