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One of the WNBA’s brightest rising stars is undoubtedly Angel Reese. She has been a vocal and emotional leader on all of the teams that she has played on. Now with the Chicago Sky, she’s looking to take her leadership to another level. With such a spotlight being put on the WNBA this year, it’s natural to want to know more about some of the league’s biggest stars. Well, Reese is no exception. As much as she is always in front of a camera, there’s still so much we don’t know about her. That all ends today.
Check out these facts about Angel Reese!
1. She’s an NCAA national champion
Above all else, Angel Reese is a proven winner. In her junior year at Louisiana State University, she won an NCAA championship by beating Caitlin Clark’s University of Iowa in the final. With all the hype surrounding the 2024 rookie class, it should always be noted that Reese is a national champion.
2. Her jersey number has a special meaning
In her collegiate career, Reese wore the number 10 on her jersey. Once drafted to the WNBA by the Chicago Sky, she chose to wear the number 5. She stated that she chose the number 5 because it symbolized a new beginning for her. She isn’t wrong either, this is a whole new level of play and life that she has walked into. It’ll bode well for her to remain as grounded as she has.
3. She isn’t from Louisiana
Angel Reese was born in Randallstown, Maryland. She played for the University of Maryland briefly before transferring to LSU in May of 2022. The NCAA champion stated, “I wanted more for myself,” in an interview. She went on to say that her reasons for transferring involved her wanting to grow at her position as a power forward. At LSU she felt she’d attain the skills to be a good “stretch 4.”
4. She was the first rookie to have a double-double in seven consecutive games
Angel Reese is beyond just a pretty face. She bangs with the bigs in the paint with the best of them. The preview of her game that we all got in college is now being exhibited at the professional level. She clearly has etched her role in the WNBA, and for years to come, she’ll be one of the best at her position, on both ends of the floor.
5. She was one of 2023’s Glamour Magazine’s College Women of the Year
Glamour Magazine puts out an annual list of honorees who are named College Women of the Year. In 2023, Reese was given the distinct honor of being named one of the College Women of the Year after winning the NCAA National Championship.
6. Reese plays several sports
As told to Lisa Leslie in her Glamour Magazine feature, Reese played several sports growing up. Her mother got her involved with softball and volleyball in addition to basketball, which Reese began playing at four years old. Although basketball has taken her to the heights that she now enjoys, she maintains an appreciation for all the other sports she participated in too.
7. Her biggest motivator is her family
Reese’s relationship with her family is paramount to her. When speaking about some of the opportunities that have come her way by way of basketball, she always mentions her family. She has never lost sight of the sacrifices they’ve made. It’s clear that it pushes her daily to be her best self, because when she is rewarded for her work, so are they.
8. She prides herself as a leader
As a teammate, Reese has always been a constant source of encouragement. Always willing to be the face of the team in press conferences and post-game interviews, she doesn’t shy away. In her career thus far, she has tackled issues of pay equity, race, and the media’s depiction of her in the sport. Her comments, often pointed, are always poised. And it’s that type of delivery that continues to elicit respect from her peers and beyond.
9. The nation took notice when she did the “You can’t see me” to Caitlin Clark in college
Even though Caitlin Clark is known as an offensive juggernaut on the court, it never translated to championships in Iowa. In fact, as mentioned prior, it was Reese’s LSU Tigers who sent Iowa home packing in the championship game in 2023. Reese was a well-known player then, but the media couldn’t get over Clark’s Steph Curry-like playmaking ability. That’s what was ruling the airwaves. That was until Reese realized it was about a sure thing that they were going to beat Iowa. At that moment, Reese parodied Clark’s “You can’t see me” taunt, but added the caveat that this game was larger than that. It was about a ring.
10. Her younger brother plays basketball too
A lesser-known fact is that Angel Reese has a brother who is almost a year younger than she is. His name is Julian, and it just so happens that he plays basketball as well. He continues the Reese legacy at the University of Maryland as a forward.
11. She is part owner of a pro soccer team
Never one to rest on her Dri-FIT, Reese also has become a part owner of a women’s professional soccer team. The DC Power Football Team represents the DMV from which Reese hails. With Reese having business-like ambitions like owning a WNBA team one day, this is a step in that right direction. Although basketball is a focal point, she understands what establishing yourself outside of the sport means in the long run.
12. She tried to trademark a nickname in college
While at LSU, Reese took on the moniker the “Bayou Barbie” as an ode to playing in Louisiana along with her affinity for wearing make-up and lashes. It seemed to be a natural fit even down to the alliteration of the name. However, when attempting to properly trademark the phrase they were denied. It was cited that the name “Barbie” being in the phrase could negatively impact the market that the Mattel staple inhabits.
13. She cites her mother as her rock
Angel Reese’s mother is, ironically enough, her namesake. And she is never too far off from where Reese is. Reese has spoken several times about why she approaches the game the way that she does. Her mother being her biggest form of support is always mentioned when she’s asked to contextualize her career success. It’s her mother, Angel, who got her and her brother involved from such an early age. She had the vision.
14. She graduated from LSU with a degree in communications
One fact that Reese absolutely is proud of is that she became a college graduate. She earned her degree in communications from LSU in the same season that she declared for the WNBA Draft and was drafted. Always seeking to showcase how multifaceted a Black woman can be, Reese showed how to stay locked in on the court, as well as the classroom.
15. Reese had several NIL deals while in college
With name, image, and likeness deals becoming the norm in collegiate sports, athletes can now get a jump on taking control of their brands. Reese seemingly had no shortage of suitors when the time came for her to collaborate with some companies. In total, it’s reported that Reese had racked up to around $1.7 million in NIL money during her collegiate career. Some of her partnerships included Sports Illustrated, Beats by Dre, and Starry, just to name a few.