Angel Reese becomes the first WNBA rookie EVER to achieve historic feat not pulled off in the NBA for 31 YEARS
Chicago Sky sensation Angel Reese made WNBA history on Friday night after becoming the first ever rookie to record back-to-back 20-rebound games.
Reese, 22, achieved the iconic feat in Chicago’s 82-80 loss to the Connecticut Sun after nailing exactly 20 rebounds at Mohegan Sun Arena.
She was also on hand with three assists and 13 points despite the Sky slumping to their third defeat in four games.
Incredibly, an NBA rookie has not recorded consecutive 20-rebound games for 31 years, with Reese’s fellow LSU graduate Shaquille O’Neal last doing so back in 1993.
Reese became the first rookie with multiple 20-rebound games since Tina Charles in 2010. She has 21 double-doubles.
Chicago Sky’s 22-year-old rookie sensation Angel Reese made WNBA history on Friday night
Connecticut (21-7) had a 45-35 halftime lead, but Reese scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds in the third as the Sky outscored the Sun 29-18 to take a one-point lead into the fourth.
That lead stretched to 74-68, but Mabrey, playing against her former team, answered with a 3-pointer and a layup to cut the deficit to a point, 76-75, with 4:38 to play.
Reese made two free throws to give Chicago (11-17) an 80-77 lead with 1:52 remaining.
Connecticut’s Tyasha Harris hit two foul shots with 1:01 left to pull the Sun within a point before DiJonai Carrington was called for a blocking foul. A challenge from Connecticut coach Stephanie White overturned the call and the Sky’s Chennedy Carter was charged with an offensive foul.
Reese became the first rookie with multiple 20-rebound games since Tina Charles in 2010
On the next possession, Bonner was fouled in the lane (Chicago coach Teresa Weatherspoon challenged, but the call was upheld) and made 1 of 2 free throws to tie it 80-80.
Chicago’s Lindsay Allen missed a mid-range jumper with 15 seconds remaining and Bonner grabbed the rebound before Thomas hit the winning free throws.
Mabrey, in her fourth game with Connecticut after being acquired from the Sky on July 17, led all scorers while connecting on 9 of 13 from the field and 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Bonner added 15 points while Thomas and Brionna Jones both finished with 12.
Bonner grabbed eight rebounds and became just the 10th player in WNBA history with at least 3,000 career rebounds (3,003). She is just 10 behind Taj McWilliams-Franklin (3,013) for ninth all-time.
Carter led Chicago with 19 points, Kamilla Cardoso added a career-high 18 and Lindsay Allen had 14. Connecticut scored 27 points off 19 Sky turnovers.
