Angel Reese
Born May 6, 2002
Angel Reese is an American professional basketball player whose combination of elite athleticism, outspoken personality, and unprecedented media presence has made her one of the most prominent figures in women's sports. After winning the NCAA National Championship with LSU in 2023 and becoming one of the most recognizable players in college basketball history, she joined the WNBA's Chicago Sky and continued to grow her profile as both an elite competitor and a cultural force.
Early Life and College Career
Born on May 6, 2002, in Baltimore, Maryland, Angel June Reese grew up in a sporting household — her father Michael Reese had played college football at Morgan State. She starred at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, one of the premier high school basketball programs in the country, and was recruited to the University of Maryland, where she played her freshman and sophomore seasons before transferring to Louisiana State University (LSU).
At LSU under coach Kim Mulkey, Reese became one of the most dominant players in the country. In the 2023 NCAA Tournament she was an unstoppable force, averaging 25.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game as LSU defeated Iowa — and Caitlin Clark — in the national championship game. Her "you can't see me" gesture directed at Clark after the game went viral globally, sparking intense debate about sportsmanship, gender, and double standards in how women athletes' celebrations are judged compared to men's.
Media Profile and Cultural Impact
Reese's profile extended well beyond basketball. She appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, signed deals with multiple major brands including Reebok, and launched a successful podcast. She was the subject of intense and often racially charged media commentary, with many observers noting that her assertive playing style and celebrations were described in markedly harsher terms than identical behavior from white players — a disparity she addressed directly and articulately in multiple interviews. The conversation around her made her one of the most significant figures in ongoing discussions about race, gender, and media coverage in American sports.
She was selected by the Chicago Sky with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Her first season in the WNBA broke the single-season rebounds record, which she set with 446 total rebounds — surpassing the previous record and earning her significant recognition for making an immediate impact at the professional level.
Did You Know?
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark — whose rivalry at the 2023 NCAA Championship made sports history — later became WNBA teammates in the same draft class, both landing in the league simultaneously and continuing to drive record-breaking viewership and media attention for women's basketball.
A New Generation of Women's Basketball
Reese's arrival in the WNBA coincided with the most commercially transformative moment in the league's history, as Clark's entry drew unprecedented television audiences and the entire league benefitted from renewed investment and public attention. Reese, with her distinctive combination of physical dominance, social media savvy, and willingness to speak bluntly about the inequities she observes, has become a symbol of a new generation of women athletes who refuse to make themselves smaller or quieter to suit outdated ideas about how female athletes should present themselves. Off the court, she has been public about her mental health, her fashion interests, and her vision for a career that extends beyond playing days into media and entrepreneurship.