Is Angel Reese related to Della Reese? Exploring the family tree of the LSU star and whether it includes the 'Touched by an Angel' actress

Angel Reese has quickly become the face of women's college basketball, and her controversial moments have catapulted her to more fame or infamy. The self-styled "Bayou Barbie" has never been afraid of speaking her mind, a quality that has gained her a legion of fans.

Recently, her name was trending alongside that of Della Reese, the late star of the television program "Touched by an Angel," and fans wondered whether they were related. It turns out that they were not, but Angel Reese still has quite the family tree connected to several notable names.

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The Reese family tree

Angel Reese's mother, also called Angel, played basketball for the University of Maryland Baltimore County and professionally in Luxembourg.

Her father, Michael Reese, played college basketball for Boston College and professionally in Portugal, Luxembourg, Cyprus and Austria.

Angel's younger brother Julian plays basketball for Maryland University, while her step-brother Mikael Hopkins plays professionally for Reggio Emilia in the Lega Basket Serie A.

It doesn't end there. Reese is the cousin to projected 2023 top-five draft pick Jordan Hawkins, who also led his team, the UConn Huskies, to the national championship title.

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Which controversies has Angel Reese been involved in?

Reese has shown a willingness to go toe to toe with anyone, both on and off the court. Earlier this year, after her team, the LSU Tigers beat Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85, Reese first did John Cena's 'you can't see me' handwave in front of Caitlin Clark.

In an earlier game, Caitlin Clark had used the same taunting gesture, but when Reese did it, it set off a storm of debate on social media. She added Steph Curry's legendary tap-on-the-ring finger gesture when LSU's lead was unassailable.

LSU v Iowa

Reese wasn't done yet, though, as she rubbed shoulders with first lady Jill Biden who invited Iowa to the White House alongside the LSU Tigers.

The Bayou Barbie took exception to the gesture and claimed that she wouldn't attend the ceremony as the losing finalists had never been invited to the ceremony before. Reese later walked back her comments and visited the White House with the Tigers, saying she was doing what was best for the team.

She explained:

“In the beginning, we were hurt — it was emotional because we know how hard we worked all year for everything. You don’t get that experience [to go to the White House] ever, and I know my team probably wants to go for sure and my coaches are supportive of that, I’m a team player. I’m going to do what’s best for the team. I’m the captain.”