Angel Reese Is Determined to be a ‘Trailblazer’ in the WNBA

Angel Reese / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

This year’s WNBA Draft class made their names in college hoops—but their success doesn’t end at the NCAA level, according to Angel Reese.

On Monday night, the LSU forward was selected No. 7 overall by the Chicago Sky, and Reese signed a four-year rookie contract with the team. She didn’t make the decision to forego her fifth year of college basketball eligibility lightly, but she knew it was the right decision.

“I wanted more for myself, I wanted to start over,” Reese said during a WNBA Draft press conference. “I feel like I had been on a high since the national championship, and I want to hit rock bottom. I want to be a rookie again. I want to be knocked down by vets, and I want to be able to get up and grow and be a sponge. I’m just super excited to be able to play with the amazing players and against amazing players.”

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Like Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink and the dozens of other influential college players who will enter the league this coming season, Reese understands the impact that her class has had on women’s basketball—and the wider world of women’s sports, too. “It means everything [to be in this class],” she said of the group of women drafted last night.

Reese is ready to take that influence to the next level. “On and off the court, we’re amazing,” she stated. “We’re not just basketball players, we’re super impactful to the community, the people around us, the little kids who look up to us. Being able to be also nationwide—everyone knows us everywhere we go.”

Shaking up women’s college hoops wasn’t enough. Reese is ready to make waves in the WNBA, too. “I’m just excited to be a trailblazer,” she said. “I’m excited to be a part of history.”