Chicago Sky‘s new rookie Angel Reese, fresh off her WNBA debut against the Minnesota Lynx, has set her sights on a special birthday wish for the upcoming 2024 season: meeting basketball legend Michael Jordan. Reese, who celebrated her 22nd birthday on Monday, expressed her desire to see Jordan courtside during a Sky game.
“I want Michael Jordan to come to a game. I’m telling you right now, I want Michael Jordan to come to a game. I’ve never met him. That’s the only person I really want to come to a game,” Reese said during an interview with WGN9.
Reese, the standout LSU star, had a promising first game as a pro, scoring 13 points and grabbing nine rebounds against the Lynx. Despite her solid performance, she was critical of her performance.
“I’m really hard on myself. I didn’t feel like I had the best game,” Reese said. “I didn’t feel like I was super efficient. I got to the line. But, it was my first one, so I have to groove with it.”
WNBA criticized for not airing Chicago Sky vs. Minnesota Lynx game
The WNBA received criticism for not broadcasting the preseason game, which was instead live-streamed by a fan, garnering hundreds of thousands of views. Reese noted, “People are begging to watch the games now. We didn’t have that 10 years ago, five years ago.”
The league responded by adjusting its League Pass lineup to include the Sky’s next game against the New York Liberty Tuesday. Reese acknowledged the league’s evolving media landscape and expressed her optimism for the future.
“With everything changing going into next year with the media rights and everything, I think a lot of things are going to change and be at the top of the list. I’m just here. I enjoy being here. People are upset about the practice gym and stuff, but we have everything we want here. We have all the resources. I’m just proud to be a part of this because we are going up,” Reese said. “It can’t just happen overnight. People have to realize that and be patient. I’m happy. My teammates are happy. The coaches are happy. We’re going up. We’re rising. People have to be a little patient. Everything just can’t happen overnight.”
Angel Reese welcomed in the Windy City
Reese’s presence in Chicago has already attracted notable attention, including from Chicago Bears’ No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, who plans to attend a Sky game.
“Being able to have men and women respected on both sides – they’re going to come to our games. We’re going to go to their games. Just being able to turn Chicago up,” Reese said.
Reese’s connection to Chicago sports icons doesn’t stop with Jordan. She also expressed her excitement about settling into her new life in the city, with locals offering food suggestions after her comments about Harold’s Chicken went viral.
As one of the faces of the Sky franchise, Reese is easily recognizable around the city, with fans warmly welcoming her.
“I walk down the street and everybody’s ‘Angel Reese! Angel Reese! Angel Reese! Welcome to the city!’” she said.
