'Bayou Barbie' Angel Reese Sparkled on the WNBA Draft Orange Carpet

Born on May 6, 2002, to Angel and Michael Reese, the player was born and raised in Randallstown, Maryland, and has been exposed to basketball since childhood.

Basketball is in Reese's blood, as every member of her family played the game. Her mother, also named Angel, was a former player for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, before heading overseas to play in Luxembourg. In college, Angel, who reportedly goes by the nickname "Big Angel" to differentiate herself from her daughter, was quite the star herself, according to Women's Health. As per a 1991 article from The Baltimore Sun, Reese's mother, who was then known as Angel Webb, was described as "heavenly" for the team. Reese's father, Michael, played college basketball at both Boston College and Loyola University and later played professional basketball in Cyprus, Austria, Luxembourg, and Portugal.

Reese's brother Julian is also en route to carving a name for himself in basketball as a sophomore playing for the University of Maryland. 

Starting the sport at the age of four, Reese was taught how to play by none other than her mother, and she often went to see her mom play professionally as a child. 

“I used to go to my mom’s games when I was younger. She used to play in a little league, and I used to always go watch her games on Sundays. That was something that was always inspiring to me,” Angel Reese said to Just Women’s Sports. “She’s always been independent, and she molded that into me. I am who I am because of her.”

Just Women's Sports also notes that as a child, Reese played as a point guard, and due to a growth spurt, she was then placed as a forward while maintaining the skill set of a point guard. This means that in addition to having the ability to rebound and defend tall players, she possesses superior agility and passing ability, making her an impressively well-rounded talent. 

Reese's high school career was spent at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, where she averaged around 18 points per game, 20 rebounds per game, and 5 assists per game. As per her notes under her Team USA profile, the young player led her high school team to the IAAM (Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland) championships. During the length of her high school career, she earned numerous titles and honors, including the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland All-Conference A Team in 2018 and the USA Today All-USA First Team in 2020. 

While Reese graduated high school in 2020, her legacy remains intact as St. Frances Academy retired her number 10 jersey, meaning no other player on the team will wear the number 10 for the high school's girls' basketball team. Retiring a jersey is usually an honor given to a highly accomplished and well-remembered athlete who has left the team. 

"Angel, we thought when she was playing here, she had the potential to play at the next level," Reese's former high school coach Jerome Shelton said to WMAR-2. "When she was playing here, whatever venue we played in we played in front of packed houses, fans. I always said that the bigger the crowd, the better she played."

While we know Reese as the star forward for the Louisiana State University Tigers, Reese actually started her college career at the University of Maryland, playing for the Terrapins. 

The athlete had a rocky journey in Maryland due to a foot fracture, and COVID-19 played a part in her reduced playing time. By the end of her sophomore year, she entered the transfer pool and eventually landed at LSU after Reese's friend and former LSU player, Kateri Poole, convinced her to join the Tigers. 

At LSU, she played under the legendary women's basketball coach Kimberly Mulkey. Mulkey, known for her tactful and divisive coaching methods (and fabulous courtside outfits), grew close to Reese and, according to a quote Reese gave to The New York Times, coached the player honestly.

“She keeps it real," she told The New York Times. “When I came to L.S.U., I needed a coach to keep it real with me. Like, ‘Angel, you’re not doing enough. You’re not helping the team.’ Like just being able to have tough conversations. You need somebody to humble you." 

As per an article from Sports Illustrated, Mulkey is grateful for Reese's contributions to the team. 

"We are all indebted to Angel Reese for the contributions she has given to this program," said Mulkey. "She not only helped grow our program but had an impact on growing the game of women’s basketball across the country. We wish her good luck as she moves to the WNBA and look forward to seeing all that she accomplishes. We will miss her, but we will always cherish the two years we got to spend with her. Forever LSU.” 

Reese has a career total of 116 games and has started 104 of them. Throughout her career, she has averaged 18.6 points per game, 12.3 rebounds per game, and 1.9 assists per game. When looking at her most recent season at LSU, Reese averaged 18.6 points per game, 13.4 rebounds per game, and 2.3 assists per game. With her impressive number of point contributions over the course of her collegiate career, basketball fans wait in anticipation for what Reese will bring to the WNBA. 

Outside of basketball, Reese studied communications at both Maryland and LSU.