The Chicago Sky lost to the Connecticut Sun

Angel Reese continues to make waves in her rookie WNBA season with another standout performance. In a tight 82-80 defeat to the Connecticut Sun on Friday night, Reese dominated the boards for the Chicago Sky, pulling down 20 rebounds to go along with her 13 points.

This marks the second consecutive game where Reese has grabbed 20 rebounds, setting a new WNBA record. No player before her has managed to record back-to-back games with 20 rebounds in the league’s history.

Meanwhile, Reese is the first rookie in professional basketball to achieve this milestone since Shaquille O’Neal did so in 1993 during his time with the Orlando Magic.

Reese’s rebounding prowess puts her in elite company. Tina Charles, who accomplished multiple 20-rebound games during her rookie season in 2010, is the only other player in WNBA history to do so.

On the night, Reese shot 3-for-12 from the field but showcased her efficiency from the free-throw line, converting seven of her eight attempts.

Her all-around impact was also evident on defense, where she recorded two blocks.

Solid numbers

Earlier this year, Reese made headlines with a WNBA-record 15 consecutive double-doubles.

With her latest performance, she has now strung together five double-doubles in a row.

Heading into Friday’s game, she was averaging 13.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, demonstrating her consistent impact on both ends of the court.

Reese’s incredible season places her in a close contest for the Rookie of the Year title, competing with Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark.

Reese’s dominance on the glass is a significant factor in her bid for the award, as she now boasts 352 rebounds this season, ranking 12th on the all-time single-season leaderboard.

With 12 games remaining in the season, Reese is on pace to break Sylvia Fowles‘ single-season record of 404 rebounds set in 2018.

Fowles‘ record-setting year saw her average 11.9 rebounds per game, a mark that Reese is also set to challenge.