Less than two months away from the WNBA season's tip-off, Angel Reese pulled up to the 2025 McDonald's All-American festivities at the Barclays Center. On Monday, the Chicago Sky forward was set to be a judge during one of the events, but she ended up playing a more active role.
During the annual slam dunk competition, Reese got up from her judge's seat to assist high school star AJ Dybantsa with one of his high-flying exploits. The 6-foot-3 Reese, an athletic specimen herself, couldn't prevent her jaw from dropping as Dybantsa leaped over her before dunking the ball.
Though Dybantsa's dunk over Reese looked good, the BYU commit failed to advance to the next round of the jam fest. In the finals, Tounde Yessoufou bested Chris Cenac Jr. and Caleb Wilson to claim this year's slam dunk title.
By all accounts, Dybantsa will soon become a renowned college star like Reese was during her playing days at LSU. The 6-foot-8 forward, who is the No. 1 player in this year's recruiting class, is projected to spend one season in BYU before entering the 2026 NBA Draft, potentially ending up as the top overall pick.
Reese, herself, was selected to compete in the McDonald's All-American Games in 2020, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Reese, who was then playing for St. Frances Academy in Maryland, would have seen action on the court alongside other high-profile names like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Kamilla Cardoso, and Cameron Brink.
Angel Reese gives honest reaction to officiating in March Madness
Just a day before attending the annual showcase of high school talents, Angel Reese was deeply immersed in the unique college experience that is March Madness.
During the Elite Eight showdown between UCLA and Reese's alma mater LSU, Reese went on X to comment on the game's officiating:
"These refs man smh," she tweeted.
To Angel Reese's chagrin, the Tigers failed to advance to the Final Four after losing to the Bruins 72-65. In this game, Reese's former teammate Aneesah Morrow gutted out a facial injury sustained late in the third quarter to play nine more minutes in her final college game.