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WNBA rookie Angel Reese makes double-double history

Chicago Sky's Angel Reese looks to pass during the team's WNBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday, May 30, 2024, in Chicago.
Charles Rex Arbogast
/
AP
Chicago Sky's Angel Reese looks to pass during the team's WNBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday, May 30, 2024, in Chicago.

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese made WNBA history by putting up seven double-doubles in a row — the longest streak for a rookie in the league.

The former LSU star set the record on Thursday in a home game win against the Dallas Wings, 83-72. Reese earned 16 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.

In basketball, a double-double is when a player scores in the double digits in at least two of five major statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots.

"I'm just happy we finally won, and at home," Reese said in the ESPN broadcast after the game. "It's super exciting obviously for myself. I try to give myself some grace and tell myself I'm doing a good job. But I have so much more to grow and I'm just excited to be in this league and excited to win some more."

Reese surpassed the previous record of six consecutive double-doubles set by Tina Charles in 2010 and Cindy Brown in 1998, CBS Sports reported. Charles still holds the rookie season record with 22 double-doubles.

Reese still has a chance to match that, with eight double-doubles this year, and 26 games left. She currently averages 12.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Asked about her accomplishment in a post-game news conference, Reese shouted out other strong rookies who came before her, including fellow LSU alum Sylvia Fowles. Fowles, who holds the record for the most double-doubles (193) scored in a WNBA career, dubbed Reese "Miss Double-Double Queen" when Reese was still in college.

"I love Sylvia. She was a great person to me and a great mentor to me when I was at LSU," Reese said. "I know she is going to be super proud of me."

Her historic success comes ahead of Chicago's highly anticipated rematch against the Indiana Fever, led by another star rookie, Caitlin Clark.

Copyright 2024 NPR