Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese etched her name into WNBA history books during the team’s disappointing 85-66 defeat against the New York Liberty at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The talented forward achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the fastest player in league history to record thirty career double-doubles, accomplishing this extraordinary feat in just forty-two games played.
Reese’s historic achievement surpassed several WNBA legends who previously held portions of this record, including established stars like Tina Charles, Candace Parker, Natalie Williams, and the iconic Lisa Leslie. Her rapid ascent to this milestone shattered Charles’s previous record by an impressive margin of five complete games, demonstrating Reese’s exceptional consistency and dominance on the court.
Despite playing for the losing team in this particular contest, Reese delivered another standout individual performance that contributed significantly to her historic achievement. She concluded the game with seventeen points on efficient eight-of-thirteen shooting from the field, including one successful three-pointer out of three attempts from beyond the arc. Additionally, she secured eleven rebounds to complete her thirtieth career double-double, while also contributing three assists and recording two steals in a well-rounded statistical performance.
Throughout the current season, Reese has established herself as the fourth-leading scorer for the Chicago Sky organization, maintaining an impressive average of 9.1 points per game. Her scoring production trails only behind veteran teammate Ariel Atkins, showcasing her immediate impact as a rookie player in one of basketball’s most competitive professional leagues.
However, rather than focusing on her groundbreaking WNBA achievement and basketball-related accomplishments, Reese found herself confronting irrelevant and inappropriate questions during the post-game media session. The line of questioning appeared to deliberately avoid discussing her historic milestone or basketball performance, instead steering toward topics unrelated to her professional athletic achievements.
Teammate Ariel Atkins stepped forward to provide strong support and defense for her younger colleague, addressing the inappropriate nature of the media’s approach. “The amount of garbage that she has to endure on a daily basis, and she still shows up every single day,” Atkins stated emphatically during the press conference. “So any questions that you guys have about our team from a basketball standpoint, we appreciate and welcome those inquiries wholeheartedly.”
Atkins continued her passionate defense by clearly establishing boundaries for appropriate media interaction with her teammate and the entire Chicago Sky organization. “But all the other nonsense and irrelevant topics that don’t pertain to basketball have absolutely no place in this setting,” she declared firmly. “We are here specifically to play basketball at the highest level and to demonstrate our skills and dedication to this sport that we love.”
The veteran player concluded her remarks by emphasizing the current challenges facing both Reese individually and the team collectively during this difficult period. “We are struggling and facing adversity right now, and that’s something we acknowledge,” Atkins admitted with characteristic honesty about their team’s current situation. “At the end of the day, this is a twenty-three-year-old young woman who handles herself with remarkable grace and dignity despite constant scrutiny. The crown that she wears every single day carries tremendous weight, and she bears that responsibility with incredible maturity and strength.”