Angel Reese
Angel Reese is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association, and formerly for Rose BC of the Unrivaled basketball league. Nicknamed "Bayou Barbie" and "Chi Barbie", she played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins and LSU Tigers.
Reese attended Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was awarded McDonald's All-American honors in 2020 and was ranked the number two player in her class by ESPN. She joined the Maryland Terrapins as the highest-ranked recruit in program history, but her freshman season in 2020–21 was interrupted by a fractured right foot. She was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press as a sophomore. In her junior season, Reese transferred to LSU and was a unanimous first-team All-American selection. She led LSU to its first national championship, where she was Most Outstanding Player. Reese set the NCAA single-season record in double-doubles and the SEC single-season record in rebounds. As a senior, she was named SEC Player of the Year and an All-American.
Reese was selected by the Chicago Sky with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft. In her rookie season, she was named an WNBA All-Star and set the league single-season record in rebounds. At the international level, she helped the United States win a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA Women's AmeriCup. In 2025, she appeared on the cover of Vogue, and as a model in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Early life
Angel Reese was born on May 6, 2002, in Randallstown, Maryland, to Angel and Michael Reese. She learned how to play basketball from her mother at a very young age and grew up playing against her brother, Julian, in their driveway. Reese competed in a recreational league in Baltimore County, where her mother also played. She emerged as one of the best players in the city and had success playing above her age group and on boys' teams. Reese played the point guard position before having two growth spurts by her first year of high school. In addition to basketball, she took part in ballet, gymnastics, swimming and track during her childhood. Reese often attended Washington Mystics games and drew inspiration from Women's National Basketball Association players Candace Parker and Maya Moore, as well as former National Basketball Association player and Baltimore native Muggsy Bogues. She was coached by Ron James with Team Takeover, an Amateur Athletic Union program based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, a national circuit. Her AAU teammates included Madison Scott, Mir McLean and Jakia Brown-Turner, all of whom were given five-star ratings by ESPN at the end of their high school careers.High school
Reese attended St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was a four-year varsity basketball player under head coach Jerome Shelton. Early in her career, she was teammates with future WNBA player Nia Clouden. Due to her size and athleticism, she could play all five positions and entered the starting lineup midway through her first season. As a freshman, Reese averaged 11.1 points and 11 rebounds per game, earning All-Metro first team honors from The Baltimore Sun. She helped her team win the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference title and finish the season with a record. Her team suffered its only loss to Hamilton Heights Christian Academy at the High School Nationals semifinals, where Reese recorded 20 points and 24 rebounds and made a putback shot to beat the buzzer and send the game to overtime. She was named to the High School Nationals all-tournament team.In her sophomore season, Reese repeated as an All-Metro first team selection, helping St. Frances win the IAAM A Conference championship and achieve a 24–4 record. She averaged 17.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 blocks per game, leading her team in all four categories. Following the season, Reese played in the Capital Classic and was named her team's most valuable player after guiding the United States Future Stars to a 115–80 win over the Capital All-Stars. She was suspended early in her junior season after punching an opposing player in the face during a preseason scrimmage; no charges were filed. Reese averaged 22.6 points and 19.3 rebounds per game as a junior and was named All-Metro Player of the Year by The Baltimore Sun after leading St. Frances to the IAAM A Conference title. That year, she led Team Takeover to the Nike EYBL championship, posting 18 points and 11 rebounds in a 57–47 win over All Iowa Attack in the final.
In January2020, Archbishop Spalding High School head coach Lisa Smith was fired from her position after her private messages on Instagram criticizing Reese's behavior were made public. Reese's mother felt that the messages included racial overtones by attributing Reese's success to being genetically gifted. On January 31, Reese's number 10 jersey was retired by St. Frances, and she became the first female player to receive the honor. As a senior, she averaged 18.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.5 blocks per game, winning her fourth straight IAAM A Conference championship and helping her team finish with a 25–3 record. Reese was selected to play at the McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic, two major high school all-star games, but both were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She repeated as All-Metro Player of the Year and was also named High School Female Athlete of the Year by The Baltimore Sun. Reese finished her career with 1,720 points, second in St. Frances history to Melba Chambers, and 1,250 rebounds.
In addition to basketball, Reese was a member of the volleyball team at St. Frances, playing the outside hitter position. In her freshman season, she helped the team win the IAAM C Conference championship, the school's first IAAM title in a sport other than basketball. Reese led St. Frances to another IAAM C Conference title as a sophomore.
Recruiting
Reese was considered a five-star recruit, the number two player and the top wing in the 2020 class by ESPN. By her junior season of high school, she held scholarship offers from over 24 NCAA Division I basketball programs, including Maryland, South Carolina and Louisville. On November 1, 2019, she announced her commitment to Maryland, becoming the highest-ranked recruit in program history. Her other finalists were South Carolina, USC, Syracuse and Tennessee. On November 13, Reese signed a National Letter of Intent with the program. She was drawn to Maryland because of its proximity to her home, head coach Brenda Frese, who had recruited her since eighth grade, and assistant coach Shay Robinson. She preferred to play with a post player in Shakira Austin, who instead transferred from the program before Reese's first season. She was also attracted to Maryland by its strong academics and the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.College career
Freshman season
Reese entered her freshman season in the starting lineup for Maryland, primarily as a power forward. Despite being a freshman, she was praised by head coach Brenda Frese for her leadership. Frese viewed Reese as part of the team's Big Three that also included Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller. On November 27, 2020, she made her debut for Maryland, recording a season-high 20 points and nine rebounds in a 94–72 win over Davidson at the Gulf Coast Challenge. In her fourth game, on December 3 against Towson, she suffered a Jones fracture in her right foot after landing awkwardly during the opening minutes. She underwent surgery and was sidelined until February 23, 2021. Reese came off the bench following her return from injury. She helped Maryland win Big Ten regular season and tournament titles. At the end of the regular season, she was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. On March 24, 2021, in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Reese scored 19 points to help second-seeded Maryland defeat seventh-seeded Alabama, 100–64. In the Sweet 16, her team was upset by sixth-seeded Texas, 64–61. As a freshman, Reese averaged ten points and six rebounds per game. Following the season, she won a silver medal with the Maryland 3x3 team at the USA Basketball 3X Nationals.Sophomore season
Reese returned to a starting role in her sophomore season. She described the season as a "redemption year" and regained confidence from before her injury as a freshman. In her season debut on November 9, Reese recorded 21 points and 14 rebounds in a 97–67 win against Longwood. On December 2, 2021, Reese had a season-high 26 points and 15 rebounds in an 82–74 win against Miami in the ACC–Big Ten Challenge. On February 14, 2022, she posted 25 points and 13 rebounds in an 81–69 victory over Iowa. Reese was named first-team All-Big Ten and made the conference's All-Defensive Team. She led fourth-seeded Maryland to the Sweet 16 of the 2022 NCAA tournament, where she recorded 25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks in a 72–66 loss to first-seeded Stanford on March 25. Reese received third-team All-American honors from the AP and made the United States Basketball Writers Association and Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-American honorable mention. As a sophomore, she averaged 17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, becoming the first Maryland player to average a double-double since Angie Scott in 1975.On April 5, 2022, Reese entered the transfer portal with several of her teammates. She later explained that she wanted a fresh start and a coach who would develop her into a stretch four to prepare her for the WNBA. She was the most heralded transfer in the nation and took visits to Louisiana State University, South Carolina and Tennessee. She took interest in LSU after Ohio State transfer Kateri Poole, whom she had known since high school, suggested that they visit the school together.