The Chicago Sky fell short in a close 79-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Monday night. The defeat grabbed attention, and Angel Reese also shared a heated moment with her teammate. Reese remains at the center of the conversation for her behavior; now, it is her teammate, Sevgi Uzun, over whom she lost her calm.

In the first quarter, Uzun grabbed a rebound and led a fast break with Reese calling for the ball. The Sky had numbers, but Uzun chose to pull up for a jumper instead of passing. The shot missed, and the Aces took back control after a loose-ball foul.

A moment of frustration between teammates Angel and Uzun stood out early in the game, highlighting rising tensions within the struggling squad.

Angel Reese, who positioned herself for the pass, remained disappointed.  However, Uzun’s rough night continued with multiple turnovers, leading to short benching. She returned in the fourth quarter but did not make much of an impact.

Reese, once compared with Michael Jordan, stole the show with her frustration. Despite scoring 10 points, Angel Reese pulled down 17 rebounds and recorded another double-double. However, the strong individual players could not secure the win, and they dropped to 9-28 on the season.

Chicago’s Head Coach Praised Angel Reese As The Greatest Rebounder

Reese made WNBA history Monday night after recording her 20th double-double of the season in the Chicago Sky’s 79-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Her stats set a new record for most double-doubles in a player’s first two seasons, which breaks Tina Charles’ mark.

Sky head coach Tyler Marsh praised Reese and called her relentless. He believes she could become the most excellent rebounder in basketball history and credits her growth on the defensive side.

Despite intense efforts from Angel Reese, Ariel Atkins, and Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago’s 18 turnovers cost them the game against the Aces.

Chicago Sky

Shaquille O’Neal had to restrain Angel Reese to prevent her confrontation with Kim Mulkey from escalating

Shaquille O’Neal had to restrain Angel Reese to prevent her confrontation with Kim Mulkey from escalating

Shaquille O’Neal has long called Angel Reese “family,” and nearly two years after she burst onto the national stage, he’s pulling back the curtain on how he supported her during that time.

Appearing on the Straight Game Podcast, Las Vegas Aces assistant coach Tyrone Ellis praised O’Neal for defending Reese publicly when critics like Robert Griffin III questioned her. Shaq explained that his investment in Reese‘s success wasn’t simply about school pride.

“Angel reminds me of me. She plays how she plays, doesn’t matter what people say, doesn’t matter people think,” O’Neal said. “She plays with a certain spirit, with a certain ferocity, and I respect that about her.”

The LSU absence and Shaq’s phone call

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Reese missed four straight games in November 2023, a mysterious stretch that LSU never fully explained at the time.

Rumors swirled about academics and discipline, though the forward and head coach Kim Mulkey later clarified the absence was tied to a locker room dispute.

O’Neal recalled how he called Reese during that period to offer perspective.

“When she was going through her stuff at LSU, you know what a lot of us don’t understand that, if the coaches can get on us, he can control the team. So, her and her coach had a little spat. She was getting ready to go off, and I had to call and explain to her. I said, ‘Listen, it’s all part of the game. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. So these are things you have to go through’,” he added.

That conversation, Shaq said, helped Reese take a step back and reset mentally before returning to the court.

Reese’s gratitude and resilience

When Reese came back, one of her first acknowledgments was directed toward O’Neal, thanking him for being there when the pressure threatened to overwhelm her.

Since then, their bond has only grown stronger, with Shaq often praising her ability to block out noise and maintain her intensity.

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For Reese, the LSU episode marked an early test of resilience, one that mirrored the challenges she has faced since entering the WNBA with the Chicago Sky. For O’Neal, it was proof of what he had seen all along: a competitor whose toughness and spirit reminded him of his own.

“Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” O’Neal told her back then. Nearly two years later, it’s clear that lesson remains at the heart of Angel Reese’s journey.