Angel Reese links up with "GOAT" Sheryl Swoopes, shares "tears, laughter and smiles" with 4xWNBA champion

The Chicago Sky, spearheaded by their dynamic rookie Angel Reese, faced off against the defending champions Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday in "Sin City." Unfortunately for the Sky, the game didn’t go as hoped, resulting in a crushing 90-71 defeat at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The game took place in front of WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes, who was courtside for the highly anticipated matchup.

Reese had the chance to connect with the four-time WNBA champion Swoopes, and the two shared a touching moment. The 22-year-old rookie later posted a picture with the three-time WNBA MVP, accompanied by an emotional caption expressing her admiration.

"Tears, laughter and smiles with the GOAT today was much needed. Love you forever @airswoopes22," Reese wrote on a picture she shared on her Instagram story.

(Credit: Angel Reese/Instagram)

Earlier in the season, Reese and Swoopes shared a heartfelt embrace after Chicago Sky recorded its first and only victory against the Indiana Fever on June 23 by a margin of 88-87 at home.

“She (Sheryl Swoopes) been there for me," Reese had said after the game.

"She been there through my highs and lows. She said she’s proud of me. … Just being able to talk to her and have someone like that in my life. I’m just happy I came over there," she added.

Sheryl Swoopes has voiced her praise for Reese several times

Sheryl Swoopes, who has faced sharp criticism for not publicly recognizing Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark's contributions, has been outspoken in her admiration for Angel Reese.

Ahead of the Chicago Sky's home game against the Washington Mystics on Wednesday, Swoopes once again expressed her deep appreciation for Reese, offering high praise for the rising star.

“I wanna see her continue to be a dawg. She is a dawg! I love the fact that she’s just her. She is unapologetically Angel. She plays hard on both ends of the floor, doesn’t matter what the score is," Swoopes said.

"I just love how she’s coming into this league, she’s embraced the bumps, the bruises, she has embraced the good with the bad. I just love watching her play because she plays hard the entire game," she added.

Meanwhile, Reese had an average game in the blowout loss against the Aces. The rookie recorded another double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds, but her shooting woes continued. The 22-year-old shot a poor 4-of-12 from the floor, including 0-of-1 from the 3-point range.