“I’m filled with emotions right now that I have a season ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next.” Neither anybody would have expected or even desired Angel Reese’s debut season to end so suddenly weeks before the wrap-up of the regular season. Despite the premature end, Reese shone more than brightly in one area, which was on the glass. But with A’ja Wilson inching closer to breaking her record, the ‘Chi-Town Barbie’ might have yet another concern on her plate.

The title “Rebounding Queen” fits Angel Reese perfectly. As a rookie, the seventh-overall pick quickly made her mark by leading the league in rebounds. Before her season-ending injury, Reese was pulling down an impressive 13.1 rebounds per game, amassing a staggering 446 rebounds in just 34 games. She even set a new single-season rebound record when she overtook Sylvia Fowles’ 404 count.

Yet, despite her dominance, Reese was closely pursued by her idol, A’ja Wilson, who held the second spot on the rebounds leaderboard. With Angel Reese sidelined for the rest of the season, the back-to-back reigning champion is now in a prime position to seize the opportunity and add another record to her impressive portfolio. The ‘Stat Mamba’ recently shed light on the rebounds tally and tweeted, “A’ja Wilson needs 12 REB to break Angel Reese’s record for most rebounds in a single season in WNBA history.”

https://twitter.com/StatMamba/status/1834778370371981726

Wilson tallied 17 rebounds in her latest game against the Indiana Fever. This brings her total to 435 rebounds for the season, putting her within striking distance of overtaking Reese’s record and setting a new single-season rebound benchmark. With a game against the Connecticut Sun on the horizon this Sunday, Wilson has a golden opportunity to claim the top spot with her average of 12.1 rpg. This achievement would be the perfect complement to her recent triumph of breaking the single-season scoring record.

Angel Reese congratulated idol A’ja Wilson after she broke the scoring record

Wilson made history just before halftime in the Aces’ game against the Fever on Wednesday night. With 26.4 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Wilson sank a jumper from the free-throw line, breaking the WNBA single-season scoring record of 939 points set by Jewell Loyd in 2023. Wilson, a two-time league MVP, entered the game averaging an impressive 27.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.

Interestingly, Wilson’s milestone was even acknowledged by the Sky rookie, who finds her idol in the Aces forward. When the 28-year-old tweeted her achievement, Reese couldn’t resist wishing. She retweeted and wrote, “CONGRATS A! You deserve this! Forever & always my favorite player!! 🙏🏽🔥💐.”

After surpassing the scoring record, the Columbia native was quick to give credit to her teammates. “I don’t want to sound cliché when I say this but, I don’t get any of that without every single teammate along the way. I’m so grateful to be able to play with selfless women. My teammates are the heartbeat. They keep me going. I don’t get any points without them passing me the basketball,” said the former Gamecock.

Despite Wilson’s pursuit of her rebound record, Reese’s admiration for the Aces star is evident. It’s clear that Reese’s respect for Wilson outweighs any competitive edge and she would not mind her idol breaking her rebound record.