Angel Reese once joked about wanting a time machine, not to change the past, just to relive it. “I want to start at the bottom again,” she told Vogue.com after LSU’s season-ending loss to Iowa. “I want to be a rookie again and build myself back up; I want to be knocked down and learn and grow at the next level.” The world hasn’t really figured out time travel yet, but Reese seems to have hacked it anyway. If not during her time at LSU, in her WNBA sophomore season, she has found a way to reconnect with a fearless rookie version of herself. It is through broken records and familiar milestones.

Remember when, in 2024, Angel Reese grabbed 446 rebounds in 34 games? She set a WNBA single-season record. She did it in pieces, stacking history as she went. First came 172 offensive boards (another record), and at one point she became the first player in league history to hit 300 rebounds in her first 25 games. That night vs Phoenix, she even snatched Sylvia Fowles’ franchise mark for offensive rebounds, sliding past 117 to finish with 118.

Fast-forward to Thursday night’s win over the Liberty, and the déjà vu was strong. According to Polymarkethoops on X: “Angel Reese ties herself as the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 REB in a season.” What’s even better is that this time, it only took her 24 games. And yet, if you’re waiting for universal applause, don’t hold your breath. Even Angel Reese knows that the noise will always follow her, good or bad.

But she’s long embraced that side of fame. As she puts it: “If you don’t have no haters, you ain’t popping.” So let’s talk about just how hard she’s popping…

Angel Reese vs. The Crowd

It all started when the chatter of Angel Reese tying her own record was making the rounds on social media. One person tweeted, “Is Angel Reese even playing????? @chicagosky,” while another added, “Angel Reese back to being useless.” Those are definitely some odd reactions considering she dropped 21 points, 10 rebounds, and even had three assists. So what was really behind the frustration? A third fan spelled it out: “Angel Reese with 0 shot attempts in the 3rd and only 4 attempts for the whole game is pissing me off bro.” Only, that wasn’t true.

Reese finished with nine field-goal attempts, including one in the third quarter. She did great in 29 minutes of play. That time was almost exactly what she predicted before tip-off: “Last game was supposed to be 25 I played 26. Hopefully, tonight’s about 30.” So why the hostility then? Chicago’s place in the standings explains some of it.

As one fan jabbed, “She’s literally already out of the playoffs in a league where 75% of the teams make the playoffs …” And they’re right. The Sky sit third from the bottom at .257 and out of the playoffs. They are unlikely to catch Washington (.444) and are just a hair above Dallas (.250). At this point, it’s not about postseason hopes at all but about just avoiding the basement. That bitterness spilled all over her milestone night, with one comment reading: “So of the players she passed, how many were on teams that didn’t make the playoffs in their 1st 2 years with stat @Reese10Angel #mebounds 🫣🤣🏀🗑️.”

Yet, some rallied behind her as well, and they were especially pointing out the context. “Injured for a month too,” one fan reminded everyone. And that’s no small thing. Angel Reese has missed 10 games this season, including seven straight before this recent return against Seattle. The NY one was just her second game back. Considering that, even Candace Parker’s cool grading didn’t sit well with some. As one fan sarcastically said, “C tier player by the way 💅🏾.”

Parker recently slotted Reese as a C-tier player alongside Cameron Brink, who recently returned from a 400+ day absence. This scale had rankings from S to D, where S is the highest rating. As for the reasoning, she said, “I put her right at that C level, I think in terms of being above, you have to be able to have the ability to carry your team. Be a one or two-option. I think Angel Reese is fantastic at her role, which is offensive rebounding. She showed and demonstrated so much growth in that first year.” Angel Reese, when asked pregame if Parker’s comments annoyed her, gave nothing away: “I’m not answering that.”

That quiet defiance matched her tunnel fit. I Talk Hoops captioned it best: “The Angel Wears Prada!” And she owned the look. It was a silver mini skirt, metallic thigh-high boots, oversized white button-down, white cat-eye shades, and a matching clutch. If the outfit screamed anything, it was this: she’s Chicago’s star and she knows it. So, next game, please.