Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese has joined Unrivaled, the new player-founded, 3-on-3 league led by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.
Reese announced the news in a post with Unrivaled on social media under the words “305 Barbie.” The league tips off in Miami in January 2025. Reese, known as “Bayou Barbie” when playing for LSU, has recently adopted the nickname “Chi-Town Barbie.”
THE BARBIE IS UNRIVALED👑 10/30✅ TAG WHO’S NEXT 👀 @Reese10Angel pic.twitter.com/9XqmgXmsqa
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) July 24, 2024
The Sky forward is the first WNBA rookie and 10th player to join the league, which has backing from prominent athletes, investors and celebrities such as Carmelo Anthony, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Gary Vaynerchuk, Steve Nash and David Levy, among others.
Other players to join the league include Chelsea Gray, Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Rhyne Howard, Kahleah Cooper and Jackie Young.
The league features six teams of women’s basketball players that will compete in a 3-on-3 format. Ally Financial was announced as a founding partner in the league on July 19 and will be its inaugural league-wide jersey sponsor.
Reese’s brief time in the WNBA has increased interest in Sky games, as the team has drawn over 9,000 fans for seven of its home games at Wintrust Arena, according to Across the Timeline, which tracks attendance across the WNBA.
She is coming off her first WNBA All-Star game, which had 3.44 million viewers—up 139% from the prior record of 1.44 million in 2003—and featured Reese teaming up with fellow rookie and former college rival Caitlin Clark.
The LSU product, picked seventh by the Sky in the WNBA draft, recently set the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles with 19. She averages 13.5 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
