Angel Reese is preparing for another year as one of professional basketball’s most talked-about young stars following a strong 2025 season. In her second year with the Chicago Sky, Reese averaged 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, becoming just the third player in WNBA history to average a double-double in each of her first two seasons.
Her physical presence on the glass and defensive intensity continued to define Chicago’s identity, even as the team navigated an up-and-down campaign. Reese also battled a late-season back injury that limited her availability and forced her to manage her workload entering the offseason.
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Because of those health concerns, Reese did not initially participate in Unrivaled’s 2026 offseason slate, despite her dominant run in the league a year earlier. Her absence raised questions about whether she would return at all this season.
That changed Wednesday when Unrivaled announced that Reese has agreed to a new deal with the league for the remainder of the 2026 season. After missing the first 11 games of the season, she will return to Rose BC on Feb. 20 for the club’s matchup against Hive BC, giving the defending champions a significant midseason boost.
Reese’s impact on Unrivaled was immediate during the league’s inaugural 2025 campaign. Playing for Rose BC, she recorded the first 20-20 performance in league history, finishing with 22 points and 21 rebounds in a regular-season victory. She anchored one of the top defensive units in the league, earning Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year honors and helping lead Rose to the league’s first championship.
Her return to Unrivaled comes as she prepares for the 2026 WNBA season with the Chicago Sky. Reese is expected to remain a centerpiece of Chicago’s frontcourt as the franchise continues to build around her.
The Sky open the 2026 season on May 9 against the Portland Fire, one of the WNBA’s new expansion teams. However, there is a lingering caveat: ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the WNBA and the players’ union could affect elements of the league calendar, including scheduling adjustments if talks extend deeper into the year.
While no changes have been announced, the situation remains something teams and players are monitoring closely.