What a week it’s been for Chicago Sky star Angel Reese. The rebounding savant not only unveiled her first signature shoe with Reebok dubbed the AR1 Diamond Dust, she was also named the cover athlete for the WNBA edition NBA 2K26 video game on July 9. As the Sky prepared to host the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday, the Sky honored their franchise player for her recent accomplishments.
Prior to tipoff, Wintrust Arena, which is the home of the Sky, had every seat covered in a T-shirt that was adorned with Reese’s image and the words 2K26. It was a great way to get things started, as the Sky capped the day by upsetting the league’s top team 87-81 behind Reese’s 19 points (8-14 shooting), 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Reese Says She And Kamilla Cardoso Are Tops
Tired of being underestimated and overlooked, Reese, who always speaks her mind and wears her emotions on her sleeve, was pretty blunt in her postgame remarks.
“Somebody said we wasn’t the best young core in the league. I think we’re the best young core in the league, for sure. Hands down,” Reese told Angel Gray on the ABC broadcast. “The Skyscrapers, we’re doing it every single night. I’m really proud of everybody, including [Elizabeth Williams]. E-Will comes in and does what she does. I’m just super happy for the team.”
While Reese recorded her eighth consecutive double-double, teammate Kamilla Cardoso who was playing in her second game back with the Sky following a stint with the Brazilian National Team, tallied 17 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Cardoso looked a lot like the player that led South Carolina to the 2024 national championship and an undefeated season.
Reese Makes More History
The word “history” seems to be attached to the former LSU Tigers star who led the program to its lone national championship (2023) in her first season in Baton Rouge. With Saturday’s performance Reese recorded her 40th double-double joining, Tina Charles as the only players to do so in their first two seasons in the league.
Reese has also seen improvement in her shooting splits all around. In her rookie season she averaged 13.1 points and 13.6 rebounds per game on 39.1 percent shooting. This season she’s averaging 13.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in her new point-forward role that she became known for in high school and on the EYBL circuit representing Team Takeover (DC).
This season Reese is shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 78.6 percent from the free throw line, up from 73.6 last season.
Reese An All-Star Again
For the second consecutive season Reese has been named an All-Star. She will play for Team Phee which is led by Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier, in next week’s All-Star festivities at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
