SI

Cameras Caught Angel Reese's Mother Nervously Watching Sky Star Make WNBA History

Reese's mother could barely watch until history was made.

Tim Capurso

Jun 23, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) reacts after defeating the Indiana Fever at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) reacts after defeating the Indiana Fever at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese made WNBA history during Sunday's game, but her mother was so nervous she could barely watch. Reese became the first player in WNBA history to record a double-double in 10 straight games after tallying 10 points and 16 rebounds in the Sky's 70-62 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

All the while, Reese's mother, Angel Webb Reese, was a ball of anxiety in the stands until the history-making moment, which occurred in the fourth quarter with 23.2 seconds left on the clock, when Reese drained the second of two free throws to finish the game with 10 points. Reese's mother then applauded and handed out a high-five to a person seated in the stands near her.

What a moment.

And it wasn't the only big moment of the night for Reese, who was named Sportswoman of the Year at the 2024 BET Awards. Reese took to her account on X, formerly Twitter, and wrote, "Thank you for Sportswoman of the Year!" with a pair of emojis.

It's hard to have a better night than Reese did. Unfortunately, the Sky were unable to get the win, falling to 6-11 on the season.

But Reese's coach, Teresa Witherspoon, couldn't have been more proud of the rookie when asked about the record.

"Just proud of her," Witherspoon said. "Proud of what she does. I'm sure she'll say that the win was more important. She's gonna continue to do what she does, that's who she is, she's always gonna come out and play hard and confident and give you everything that she has."

"She's the hardest person on herself, so proud of what she's doing and what she'll continue to do."

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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