CHICAGO (AP) 鈥� Bayou Barbie is back in Chicago. With her own Barbie, too.
Angel Reese is playing in her third on Saturday at the United Center. This time, she is representing Atlanta in her first season with the Dream following a messy split with the Chicago Sky.
鈥淚t’s so crazy, full circle,” Reese said, 鈥淚鈥檓 back here in Chicago, again, where it kind of all started. … Coming to Atlanta, I mean it鈥檚 been a dream come true, literally. It鈥檚 helped me in so many different ways.”
Reese, 24, is on 鈥淭eam Coop鈥� for this weekend’s showcase event, alongside Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and four-time MVP A鈥檍a Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces headline 鈥淭eam Spoon.鈥�
WNBA greats Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon from players that were either or . Las Vegas鈥� Becky Hammon is coaching Cooper鈥檚 team, and Minnesota鈥檚 Cheryl Reeve is in charge of Weatherspoon鈥檚 squad.
鈥淗onestly I鈥檓 just really happy to be here and be surrounded by so many amazing women and All-Stars and Hall of Famers and people that I鈥檝e looked up to my entire life,鈥� Bueckers said. 鈥淚 never want to take these moments for granted and just really soak it up and enjoy building relationships with people.鈥�
Minnesota guard Olivia Miles, part of 鈥淭eam Spoon,鈥� is the only rookie picked for the All-Star Game in the WNBA’s 30th season. The No. 2 pick in this year’s draft is averaging 19.3 points and 5.9 assists in 26 games for the Lynx.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely weird being the only rookie, but I know I belong and I鈥檓 happy to be here,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor. Definitely grateful, and yeah, just soaking it all in.鈥�
Reese starred at LSU before she was selected by Chicago with the No. 7 pick in the 2024 draft. The 6-foot-4 forward earned the nickname 鈥淏ayou Barbie鈥� while helping the Tigers win the 2023 national championship.
Fast forward to Friday, when Mattel unveiled with a pink Angel No. 5 jersey and special Reebok basketball shoes.
鈥淚 remember, I think it鈥檚 been three years now, since the Bayou Barbie came about when I was in Baton Rouge, and I used to put Barbie stuff on merch and stuff, and I wasn鈥檛 really supposed to,鈥� Reese said. 鈥淪o I told them I really wanted to have a Barbie doll one day, and to have Barbie is like, you got to be iconic.鈥�
Reese averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds over his first two seasons with Chicago. But the Sky won just 23 games in her two years with the team.
Reese of Chicago’s play at the end of last season. She apologized to the team for her comments and for the first half of a game against Las Vegas.
She was shipped off to her new home in April, traded to the Dream for two first-round draft picks.
鈥淭he double-doubles, they don鈥檛 matter unless we鈥檙e winning,鈥� Reese said. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 just really happy to be with Atlanta. They have welcomed me with open arms. It feels like a really safe place for me. It鈥檚 the safest I鈥檝e ever felt, the most loved I鈥檝e ever felt. And I鈥檓 really happy be with them.鈥�
Atlanta is 16-10 at the break, and Chicago has a 9-18 record. Reese is one of three All-Stars from the Dream, joining Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray.
Reese left Sunday’s over the Sky after her on a jump stop under the basket in the fourth quarter. But she said Friday that her knee is good.
While Reese is suiting up for 鈥淭eam Coop,鈥� Howard and Gray are playing for 鈥淭eam Spoon.鈥� Weatherspoon coached Chicago during Reese’s rookie year.
鈥淚 love her. Like you see her, she鈥檚 so positive,鈥� Reese said of Weatherspoon. 鈥淪he comes in every day and just is always just happy. And you just want somebody in your life like that. And she鈥檚 a legend. She鈥檚 a legend of the game. She鈥檚 done a lot of amazing things that I want to do as well.鈥�
___
AP WNBA:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
