Angel Reese returned to the court Tuesday night and added another milestone to her résumé, but her remarks before tipoff left questions about her recent absence.
Reese scored 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes, as the Chicago Sky lost 94-88 to the Seattle Storm. It was her first game since July 29 after missing seven with a back injury.
With her 12th point of the night, Reese became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 800 career points and 700 rebounds, accomplishing the feat in 58 games, according to Across the Timeline. She passed Connecticut Sun forward Tina Charles, who reached the mark in 62 games in 2011, and former Sacramento Monarchs star Yolanda Griffith, who did so in 65.
Sky coach Tyler Marsh said her return was felt immediately.
“[Reese] being back not only adds to our versatility but our overall feel and confidence and morale of everyone around her,” Marsh said.
Angel Reese Makes Record-Breaking Impact
Reese, the No. 7 pick in the 2024 draft, has quickly established herself as one of the league’s most productive rebounders. She averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds as a rookie, breaking Candace Parker’s record for most consecutive double-doubles with 15.
This season, she has raised her averages to 14.4 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Chicago is 7-17 with Reese in the lineup, but just 1-9 without her.
Her return against Seattle gave the Sky a boost they had lacked in recent weeks. Chicago kept the game close late before the Storm pulled away to hand the Sky their 25th loss of the season.
Angel Reese’s Comments Add Uncertainty
Reese, speaking to reporters for the first time since July, declined to give details about her recovery.
“I’ll speak on that after the season,” she said. “Put all the bulls— to the side, I wanna hoop.”
After the game, she reflected on her time out of action.
“Sitting on the sidelines is no fun,” Reese said. “Doing rehab every single day is no fun. Just sitting figuring out what’s going on with myself. I learned a lot about myself for the last three, four weeks. But I’m just super grateful for everybody that was in my corner — my teammates, my coaches that were here for me through the whole process.”
Her comments come as the Sky continue to navigate the franchise’s history of strained relationships with stars. Sylvia Fowles, Elena Delle Donne and Kahleah Copper all requested trades during their time in Chicago, while Candace Parker chose Las Vegas as her final stop.
Marsh emphasized that his role is to support Reese through her return.
“Angel’s in a position that not many of us are in, on or off the court,” he said. “Some of the things that she deals with, we just got to be there to support her. It’s hard to put yourself in her shoes at times for the stuff that comes her way.”
The Sky continue their road trip Thursday against the New York Liberty.
