Angel Reese’s Unrivaled debut sparks 4-word message from Chicago coach

Angel Reese is finally back on the court after four months without playing any competitive games. The WNBA star, along with a group of some of the top women's basketball players in the world, will compete at the inaugural edition of the Unrivaled tournament in Miami, Florida.

Reese will play with Rose Basketball Club and featured in the opening game of the competition on Friday. Rose were unable to overcome a talented Vinyl side, losing 79-73. Reese put on a solid display and one man in particular was thrilled to see the 22-year-old back on the court.

Tyler Marsh, the Chicago Sky's newly appointed head coach, made sure to send a clear message to his star player following her strong performance.

"Time to work 5," posted Marsh on his X account.

Angel Reese wore the No. 5 jersey during her high school days and with the University of Maryland before switching to the No. 10 jersey after transferring to LSU. She reverted back to the No. 5 jersey after going pro.

Marsh also added a rose emoji to go with his succinct comment, a reference to Reese's new club.

The Sky decided to part ways with coach Teresa Weatherspoon following the 2024 season after a disappointing 13-27 record saw the team miss out on the playoffs. Marsh was hired in November and will inherit a talented group that includes rising stars, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.

In her first Unrivaled game, Reese recorded a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 12 rebounds. She also chipped in with four assists.

The Unrivaled tournament consists of six teams and will take place over an eight-week period in Miami, Florida. The competition allows WNBA players to remain in the United States during the offseason, instead of going abroad to compete in foreign leagues as many players chose to do in the past.

Angel Reese put up exceptional numbers in rookie WNBA season

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese warms up before a basketball game against the Indiana Fever at Wintrust Arena. Photo Credit: Imagn

Angel Reese was a standout player with LSU and was a member of the Tigers' 2023 NCAA championship team. The Chicago Sky would go on to select the talented forward with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Reese has hit the ground running in the pros. She led the WNBA with 13.1 rebounds per game and averaged a double-double. Reese led the Sky roster in spg (1.3) and ranked third in ppg (13.6) and bpg (0.5).

Unfortunately for Reese, her season was cut short due to an injury to her left wrist. She played in 34 games and will be hoping to play a bigger role for the Sky in 2025.

Reese was named to the All-Star game in her first season in the league and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting.