Angel Reese is back on the court after missing time with a back injury, and she’s wasted no time reminding everyone why she’s one of the league’s brightest young stars. Since returning last week, the Chicago Sky rookie has averaged 17 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4 assists over three games.
Her impact was felt immediately as she helped the Sky snap a five-game losing streak with a win over the defending champion New York Liberty. Unfortunately, Chicago’s playoff hopes officially ended during that stretch, leaving Reese and her teammates playing for pride the rest of the way.
That pride was on full display Monday night when the Sky hosted the Las Vegas Aces, led by superstar A’ja Wilson. The game carried big playoff stakes for Las Vegas, which was chasing its 11th straight win to clinch a postseason spot. For Chicago, the night was just as meaningful for a different reason, as the team retired Candace Parker’s jersey in front of their home crowd.
The WNBA leaned into the star power ahead of the matchup, hyping the showdown between Reese and Wilson with a playful promo on X. “LIL’ A VS. BIG A 🤩,” the league posted, alongside a clip of the two walking into Wintrust Arena. Fans were reminded to tune in at 8 p.m. to watch what was billed as a must-see battle.
Reese’s rise has been swift. After standout college careers at Maryland and LSU, she entered the league as the No. 7 pick in the 2024 draft. She made her presence known right away, earning an All-Star spot as a rookie and setting the single-season rebounding record in her first year.
Through her first 60 career games, she has averaged 14 points and nearly 13 rebounds, numbers that immediately put her among the WNBA’s best.
But records don’t always last long, and Reese found that out this year. Wilson, who has built a reputation as one of the greatest players of her generation, broke the rookie’s rebounding record after Reese went down with her late-season injury. Even so, the fact that Reese is already being compared to Wilson says a lot about how quickly she’s made her mark.
Wilson’s career speaks for itself. The South Carolina legend has collected three championships, three MVP awards, and has consistently dominated on both ends of the floor. This season, she’s once again putting up MVP-level numbers with 23.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
For Reese, there’s no shame in being mentioned in the same breath as Wilson, who many argue is the best player in the league. And with her bounce-back from injury and early success, it looks like Reese is just getting started in building her own legacy.
LIL’ A VS. BIG A 🤩
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 25, 2025
Angel Reese and A’ja Wilson are in the building for tonight’s matchup! Don’t miss it at 8pm/ET on League Pass! pic.twitter.com/YYoRpPxvwF