CHICAGO — Chicago Sky rookie forward Angel Reese made history Thursday, doing something no other rookie in WNBA history has done before.

With 16 points and 18 rebounds in a victory over the Dallas Wings, Reese became the first WNBA rookie to record seven consecutive double-doubles.

“A lot of great rookies have been in this league, Sylvia [Fowles], Candace [Parker], Elena Della Donne,” Reese said postgame. “To be named with some of the great players who have come before me is amazing.”

Of Reese’s 18 rebounds, ten came on the defensive glass, with another eight on offense and the former LSU Tiger credits her rebounding prowess to pure effort.

“I remember watching the first time we played against Dallas and just being able to watch film a lot. I watch a lot of film and I kind of have a really good eye for the ball when my teammates or the other team misses,” Reese said. “I just try to get another possession going for us — Diving on the floor, trying to get steals and trying to do the dirty work.

“A lot of people don’t want to do the dirty work. I’ll step in and I’ll fall to my knees, and I’ll mess up my nails and lashes and stuff like that for my teammates … I’m going to do whatever for this team.”
Angel Reese somehow flips in tough and-1 bucket
And that’s what matters to Reese at the end of the day — Not accolades and statistics — Her team and winning ballgames.

“I just want to win. I came to Chicago to win,” Reese said. “Luckily, I was drafted No. 7 and came to Chicago and was able to come here and thrive. Being able to have great teammates, great coaches, and just a great atmosphere and culture here that really, really loves me, that’s what’s important to me.”

Reese’s head coach Teresa Weatherspoon isn’t surprised with her star rookie’s early success in the WNBA, saying she wants her to continue to lean into her confidence and vocal encouragement of her teammates.

“I think we get caught up in that word, ‘rookie,’ and don’t get caught up with what that player knows, [what] that player understands,” Weatherspoon said. “[Reese] understands what positivity means. You pour positivity into your teammates … And that’s what she’s doing, she’s just pouring positive thoughts and feedback into her teammates.”

Marina Mabrey, who’s now in her sixth season in the WNBA, shared similar sentiments, saying Reese’s confidence and IQ have allowed her to acclimated to the league and find early success.

“No. 1, her confidence coming in. She was really passionate and does all the little things first so, when the scoring, rebounding, assisting come, it’s natural because she’s always in there. She’s in the right positions,” Mabrey said. “I love to see that from her and honestly, she’s just going to get better. You know, 18 and 16 and she’s just getting started.”