Angel Reese has been quite open about the role of his mother in her upbringing and how she inspired her, working hard to raise the family by herself. Her mother, Angel Webb Reese, who also played college and professional-level basketball, taught her the game, which has now led her to the WNBA. But her mother wasn’t the only basketball player in the family.

Webb Reese raised their two children as a single parent, with Angel growing up to be much closer to her mother. However, when it comes to her father, Michael Reese, there is little known about the relationship they currently have, since Angel has barely mentioned him. The Chicago Sky star’s father separated from his wife when their children were still young. Hence,  his role in Angel Reese’s life has not been as impactful as Webb Reese’s

Michael Reese played basketball at Boston College and Loyola University and also played as a pro overseas. He played professionally in Luxembourg, Cyprus, Austria, and Portugal. Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell recently took a moment to highlight the past of Michael Reese. He acknowledged that Michael was a talented basketball player who played alongside him in prep school in Maine. However, Cassell also revealed that the 6-ft-9 faced challenges with addiction, which affected his life.

During the conversation in the ‘Come And Talk 2 Me’ podcast, Cassell said, “Michael Reese was a real real good basketball player. He played with me in Prep School in Maine. He’s from DC. Michael Reese, 6’9″ shooting, he could play he was a very very good player you know.”

“(Michael) had some fallouts with addiction, but he’s getting himself back together now,” Cassell said. He expressed hope and support for Michael’s recovery, stating, “If he’s listening, if he sees this, keep going, boy. You can make it, Mike. You can make it, man.” Michael Reese was Loyola’s leading scorer and helped the team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in the 1993/94 season.

On the podcast, Cassell further talked about his bond with Michael Reese saying, “Every time I try to talk to him, I try to get him encouragement words and everything but he’s he’s a good dude. I remember him being basically my roommate in prep school and a great teammate of mine in Pittsville Maine Central Institute.”

The nature of the relationship between Angel Reese and his father can be understood by the fact he was not present for her senior day ceremony at LSU in March. Instead, NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal escorted Angel Reese for her big day while being accompanied by Webb Reese.

Angel Reese’s relationship with her father is quite different from the bond she has with her mother. In fact, she was influenced into taking basketball as a sport after watching her mother play. Talking to Just Women Sports last year in January, Reese noted, “I used to go to my mom’s games when I was younger. She used to play in a little league, and I used to always go watch her games on Sundays. That was something that was always inspiring to me.”

Reese has also credited her mother with helping her learn the game. “She taught me how to play,” Angel told the University of Maryland. “Most of my family plays basketball, so I kind of had to play. I tried ballet, gymnastics, and things like that, but nothing worked except for basketball.”

The reason Michael Reese was brought up during the podcast was Cassell showing his admiration and respect for Angel Reese’s parents. The Celtics coach also had high praise for Reese whom he has followed since her high school days.

Cassell’s admiration for Angel Reese

As the discussion progressed, the Celtics Coach shared his admiration for Angel herself, referring to her affectionately as “my baby girl.” He recounted watching her grow up in Baltimore, navigating her way through high school basketball and now making waves in the WNBA. Cassell candidly reflected on her early playing style, remarking, “I thought she was so lazy in high school because she was so much better than everyone.” He explained how Angel would sometimes miss layups and fail to sprint back on defense, indicating her sheer dominance over her peers.

Yet, Cassell’s tone shifted as he expressed pride in her current achievements. “Seeing her play in the WNBA right now has been a joy to me,” he noted. “It’s like, wow, we got another one from our town doing something positive and making it.”

Despite the failure of Chicago Sky to reach the playoffs this season, Angel Reese showcased her brilliance throughout the season. In fact, she also ended her season on a high note. In her final game for the Sky this season, she put up an impressive performance against the Los Angeles Sparks, playing 32 minutes and scoring a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 92-78 victory. With a premature end to her season due to an injury, Reese ended up with an average of 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

As she prepares for the next season, one question looms: will Angel be able to live up to Cassell’s high praise and lead the Sky to the playoffs next year? Only time will tell if this rising star can elevate her game and her team to new heights.