Honestly, if you haven’t been living under a rock for the last two years, you know the name. Angel Reese isn't just a basketball player; she’s a walking, talking shift in the cultural tectonic plates of women’s sports. People love to argue about her shooting percentages or her "double-double" streaks, but the reality is much more chaotic and interesting than a spreadsheet.
She's the "Bayou Barbie" who traded Baton Rouge for the Windy City, and in doing so, she basically helped set the WNBA on fire.
In 2024, the league saw its highest attendance in nearly three decades. We're talking a 48% jump. Merchandise sales? Up 600%. And while names like Caitlin Clark are usually the first out of everyone's mouth, Angel Reese is the engine in the other lane, driving a specific kind of "unapologetic" energy that the league has never seen before.
The Angel Reese Effect: Why the Numbers Actually Matter
When we talk about Angel Reese and WNBA history, the rebounding stats are the first thing that jump out. It’s almost silly. In her rookie year with the Chicago Sky, she didn't just break records; she shattered them. She set the single-season record for total rebounds with 446. She averaged 13.1 boards a game. Think about that. Most players are happy to get 10. She was getting 13 while people were literally boxing her out like their lives depended on it.
Then there was the streak. 15 consecutive double-doubles.
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Critics—and there are plenty of them—love to point out that she often rebounds her own misses. "She's just padding stats," they say. But if you actually watch the games, you see the motor. It’s exhausting to watch. She plays with a chip on her shoulder that's the size of a Cadillac. Even in 2025, before her season was cut short by a nagging back injury, she was still pulling down 12.6 rebounds per game and notched 23 double-doubles.
The Business of Being "Unapologetic"
Outside the lines, the money is where things get really wild. Angel is basically a mogul in a jersey. She’s got deals with Reebok, Beats by Dre, and even her own McDonald’s meal. Her podcast, Unapologetically Angel, isn't just a side project; it won Spotify’s Best New Show of 2024.
She knows her worth. While her WNBA salary for 2025 was a modest $74,909, her net worth is estimated to be north of $1.7 million. She’s famously said that her WNBA paycheck doesn't even cover her rent in Chicago. It’s a flex, sure, but it’s also a commentary on the league’s pay structure that she’s forcing people to acknowledge.
She isn't just playing for the Sky; she’s building a brand that exists whether she’s on the court or sitting out with an injury.
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What People Get Wrong About the Rivalry
You can't talk about Angel Reese and WNBA viewership without mentioning Caitlin Clark. It’s the "Magic vs. Bird" of our era. But here's the thing: it’s not just a "hate" thing. It’s a stylistic clash.
Clark is the finesse, the logo threes, the surgical passing.
Reese is the grit, the offensive glass, the physical intimidation.
When the Chicago Sky played the Indiana Fever in 2024, 3.1 million people tuned in. That’s more than some NBA playoff games. This rivalry is the best thing to happen to the league’s bank account, even if the discourse on Twitter gets a little toxic. People argue about "class" vs. "swagger," but the reality is that the WNBA needs both. It needs the villain and the hero, though who is which depends entirely on which jersey you’re wearing.
Navigating the 2025 Setbacks
2025 was a weird year for Angel. It wasn't all highlights and records. She faced a team-issued suspension early on for "detrimental comments" and technical fouls. She’s a fireball, and sometimes that fire burns the house down.
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Then the injuries hit.
First a leg issue, then a lingering back injury that ultimately sidelined her for the home stretch.
The Sky felt it. They went 8-24. Without her presence in the paint, the team looked lost. It proved that despite the "stat-padding" accusations, her impact on winning—or at least staying competitive—is massive.
The 2026 Outlook and Beyond
So, what’s next? The 2026 season is shaping up to be a massive pivot point for the WNBA. There’s a new media rights deal worth $2.2 billion on the horizon. There's expansion talk. And for Angel, there’s the "Unrivaled" 3-on-3 league founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, which gives players another platform to make bank during the offseason.
If you’re a fan or just someone trying to keep up, here is the reality:
- Expect more "Point Forward" play: In 2025, Reese started handling the ball more, averaging a career-high 3.7 assists before the injury.
- The Shooting Fix: She’s been working on her touch around the rim. If she moves from 39% shooting to 45%, the league is in trouble.
- Off-Court Expansion: Her investment in DC Power FC (women's soccer) shows she’s thinking about being an owner, not just a player.
Stop looking at just the box score. Angel Reese is a disruptor. Whether you love her or love to post "rebound your own miss" memes, you’re watching. And that’s exactly what the WNBA needed.
To really understand her impact, you should keep an eye on the Chicago Sky's 2026 draft moves; they’ve positioned themselves for a lottery pick that could finally give Reese the elite guard play she needs to turn those rebounds into championships. Follow the team's recovery reports through the spring to see if her back is 100% for training camp.