The 2026 WNBA season might still be wrapped in dark clouds of doubts, but Angel Reese is making sure that she is keeping herself prepared. Following an injury-plagued season last year, the 23-year-old failed to get the desired result for the Chicago Sky.
Now that she is back to her peak fitness, the Chi-town Barbie will be eager to make a mark in the coming season. And she is already showing signs of improvement. Initially, Reese decided to sit out of this year’s Unrivaled. But just a few weeks back, the 2023 NCAA champion announced her return to Rose BC. Immediately, the star athlete has made a mark that made Lisa Leslie go gaga over Reese.
Lisa Leslie Mightily Impressed With Angel Reese
Following her much hyped return to the 3-on-3 league, the Bayou Barbie has played two games so far. Squaring off against the Laces BC this Sunday, Reese grabbed an impressive nine-point, 15-rebound performance to help her team beat the Laces 70-66. And with it, they also advanced to the playoffs.
Celebrating the milestone, the Chicago Sky star took to her Instagram with the caption, “I ain’t come here for nothing, I came with goals. But I know for sure I turned Miami back into your Super Bowl.”
Soon, support started pouring into her comment box. Standing out from the swarm of congratulatory comments, one particular statement stood out. Extending her support for the 23-year-old star, Lisa Leslie commented, “Barbie’s Just Better💕💕.”
Well, this is not the first time Leslie has shown support for Reese. She has showered the Bayou Barbie with regular praise and encouragement while also offering her mentorship. Qualifying for the playoffs, the 2024 WNBA rookie will want to replicate the previous year’s performance, where Rose BC lifted the championship.
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Meanwhile, as Reese is looking at her natural elements once again, she recently broke her silence about her initial absence from the league.
Angel Reese Speaks About Prioritizing Health Before Her Big Return
When Reese opted to sit out of the second season of Unrivaled, there was widespread fan discontent. She was also subjected to extreme trolling and criticism from the fans. Now that she is back, the Chi-town Barbie has an explanation for her 5-month absence.
“From the first day where I was started, they were calling me to come back. They’ve been really consistent because, I mean, they love me here, and I love Unrivaled as well. Everybody’s called me from all teams to my coaches, to my to my teammates to come back & obviously I had some other things that I needed to do and also prioritize my health,” Reese said per the Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. on X.
Angel Reese on Unrivaled return
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) February 23, 2026
"From the first day where I was started, they were calling me to come back. They’ve been really consistent because, I mean, they love me here, and I love Unrivaled as well.
Everybody’s called me from all teams to my coaches, to my to my… pic.twitter.com/aGcuA8RQDB
“When it was time for me to come back, it was literally, I was in Australia, and they were like, you wanna come back? And I’m like, all right. I was on the beach last week, and now I’m here. I ain’t played basketball in 5 months, so just continuing just to just to have the feel for the game feels really good,” she further added.
Thus, with things looking rosy again, fans will be eager to see what comes next for Reese.