Sky's Angel Reese becomes WNBA's single-season rebounding leader

Chicago rookie Angel Reese broke the WNBA single-season rebounding record Sunday, as she also had her 24th double-double in the Sky's 79-74 loss at Minnesota.

Reese said afterward that she wasn't even aware of the record, which previously was held by another former LSU star, retired center Sylvia Fowles. Reese finished her LSU career earlier this year; Fowles played for the Tigers from 2004 to 2008, then spent 15 seasons in the WNBA with Chicago and Minnesota. Fowles is the WNBA's career rebounding leader with 4,006 in 408 regular-season games.

Reese entered Sunday's game in Minneapolis needing six rebounds to pass Fowles' mark of 404. That was set when Fowles was with the Lynx in 2018, when the WNBA's regular season was 34 games. Reese finished with 19 rebounds Sunday, moving her to 418 through 32 games. The WNBA went to a 40-game regular season last year.

"Coming into [the WNBA] I just knew my motor," Reese said. "Offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds is something that I know I can always do. I knew it was going to translate right away.

"A lot of people think it's because I get my own [misses] but statistically, it's not. People think it's because I'm the tallest on the court, when I'm not. It's being able to go down there and bang, doing things that a lot of people don't want to do. Defense and rebounding wins championships. And I've won championships at every level by just doing that."

Reese, the 2024 No. 7 draft pick, also had 17 points. She had already set the WNBA rookie season records for rebounds and double-doubles. Now she has the overall season rebounding record and is five away from breaking the overall mark in double-doubles. Connecticut's Alyssa Thomas set the double-double record with 28 last season.

The Sky, though, lost their sixth game in a row and fell to 11-21 as they continue to battle for a playoff spot. Chicago is 1-7 since the WNBA resumed play after the Olympic break.

"Obviously, it's tough -- this is the most losing I have ever done in my life," Reese said. "So just being able to stay mentally positive through this, that's the bright light of it. We still are in the playoffs [race]. I'm just looking forward to the next game, there's ways to get better and learn from this one."