Angel Reese Gets Her Own Barbie Doll In Return To Chicago For Wnba All-star Game

CHICAGO — Bayou Barbie is backmost successful Chicago. With her ain Barbie, too.

Angel Reese is playing successful her 3rd WNBA All-Star Game connected Saturday astatine nan United Center. This time, she is representing Atlanta successful her first play pinch nan Dream aft a messy divided pinch nan Chicago Sky.

“It’s truthful crazy, afloat circle,” Reese said, “I’m backmost present successful Chicago, again, wherever it benignant of each started. … Coming to Atlanta, I mean it’s been a dream travel true, literally. It’s helped maine successful truthful galore different ways.”

Reese, 24, is connected “Team Coop” for this weekend’s showcase event, alongside Dallas Wings defender Paige Bueckers and New York Liberty guardant Breanna Stewart. Indiana Fever defender Caitlin Clark and four-time MVP A’ja Wilson of nan Las Vegas Aces header “Team Spoon.”

WNBA greats Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon drafted nan All-Star teams from players who were either voted arsenic starters by fans, media and chap players aliases chosen arsenic reserves by nan league’s coaches. Las Vegas’ Becky Hammon is coaching Cooper’s team, and Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve is successful complaint of Weatherspoon’s squad.

“Honestly I’m conscionable really happy to beryllium present and beryllium surrounded by truthful galore astonishing women and All-Stars and Hall of Famers and group that I’ve looked up to my full life,” Bueckers said. “I ne'er want to return these moments for granted and conscionable really soak it up and bask building relationships pinch people.”

All-Stars Angel Reese, left, and Paige Buekers, right, joke astir earlier believe astatine nan Obama Presidential Center successful Chicago connected Friday.

(Paul Beaty / Associated Press)

Minnesota defender Olivia Miles, portion of “Team Spoon,” is nan only rookie picked for nan All-Star Game successful nan WNBA’s 30th season. The No. 2 prime successful this year’s draught is averaging 19.3 points and 5.9 assists successful 26 games for nan Lynx.

“It’s decidedly weird being nan only rookie, but I cognize I beryllium and I’m happy to beryllium here,” Miles said. “It’s an honor. Definitely grateful, and, yeah, conscionable soaking it each in.”

Reese starred astatine LSU earlier she was selected by Chicago pinch nan No. 7 prime successful nan 2024 draft. The 6-foot-4 guardant earned nan nickname “Bayou Barbie” while helping nan Tigers triumph nan 2023 nationalist championship.

Fast guardant to Friday, erstwhile Mattel unveiled a Reese Barbie doll pinch a pinkish Angel No. 5 jersey and typical Reebok hoops shoes.

“I remember, I deliberation it’s been 3 years now, since nan Bayou Barbie came astir erstwhile I was successful Baton Rouge, and I utilized to put Barbie worldly connected merch and stuff, and I wasn’t really expected to,” Reese said. “So I told them I really wanted to person a Barbie doll 1 day, and to person Barbie is, like, you sewage to beryllium iconic.”

Reese averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds complete 2 seasons pinch Chicago. But nan Sky won conscionable 23 games successful during that time.

Reese was captious of Chicago’s play astatine nan extremity of past season. She apologized to nan squad for her comments and was suspended for nan first half of a crippled against Las Vegas.

She was shipped disconnected to her caller location successful April, traded to nan Dream for 2 first-round draught picks.

“The double-doubles, they don’t matter unless we’re winning,” Reese said. “So I’m conscionable really happy to beryllium pinch Atlanta. They person welcomed maine pinch unfastened arms. It feels for illustration a really safe spot for me. It’s nan safest I’ve ever felt, nan astir loved I’ve ever felt. And I’m really happy to beryllium pinch them.”

Atlanta is 16-10 astatine nan break, and Chicago has a 9-18 record. Reese is 1 of 3 All-Stars from nan Dream, joining Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.

While Reese is suiting up for “Team Coop,” Howard and Gray are playing for “Team Spoon.” Weatherspoon coached Chicago during Reese’s rookie year.

“I emotion her. Like you spot her, she’s truthful positive,” Reese said of Weatherspoon. “She comes successful each time and conscionable is ever conscionable happy. And you conscionable want personification successful your life for illustration that. And she’s a legend. She’s a fable of nan game. She’s done a batch of astonishing things that I want to do arsenic well.”