Angel Reese gained national notoriety while leading LSU women's basketball to its first national championship in program history in 2023. The Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 NCAA tournament burst onto the WNBA scene with a record-setting rookie campaign for the Chicago Sky in 2024,

A’ja Wilson had a season like none other in WNBA history. Caitlin Clark set records and made the Indiana Fever the biggest draw in the women’s game.

Perhaps adding to Reese's emotions is the fact that her rookie season ended prematurely because of a wrist injury that required surgery. She played in 34 games and missed their last six, as she ended up averaging 13.6 points and a league-best 13.1 rebounds per game.