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Angel Reese Draws New Nickname From WNBA Legend Lisa Leslie

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 9:41 AM ET

Angel Reese once again proved on Monday that she is one of the brightest young stars in the WNBA right now. The 23-year-old entered the Chicago Sky’s matchup against the Minnesota Lynx with eight consecutive double-doubles, and she extended her streak to nine with a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with three assists and a block.

Unfortunately for Chicago, not even Reese’s strong performance was enough to spare them from their blushes against the league-best Minnesota Lynx, who secured a 91-78 victory at Wintrust Arena.

The loss, however, does little to take away from the fact that Reese continues to be a dominant force in the WNBA. On the season, the two-time All-Star is averaging 14.0 points on 44.6% shooting, 12.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

This is exactly why Reese has amassed a significant fan base, which includes none other than WNBA legend Lisa Leslie. The Hall of Fame center recently took to social media to send a strong message about Reese, along with a new nickname.

“Braided Barbie is a Beast,” Leslie wrote, sharing a post from Reese that featured the Sky star’s new braided hairdo.

Lise Leslie is an Angel Reese fan

(via @lisaleslie on IG) pic.twitter.com/H48rbszD2o
— Paolo Songco (@PaoloSongcoNBA) July 15, 2025

Leslie, a three-time WNBA MVP, has been around the game for a long time. She’s had the opportunity to play with and against some of the top players in the sport, while she herself is considered by many as one of the greatest ever to pick up a basketball.

For Leslie to go out of her way to express her admiration for Reese — for both her game and her hairstyle — definitely says a lot.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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