Angel Reese set to return to LSU for Chicago Sky preseason game

After a remarkable career at LSU, former national champion Angel Reese had an all-star caliber rookie season in the WNBA and now is set to return to the PMAC with the Chicago Sky to face the Brazil Women’s National Team on Friday, May 2 at 7 p.m. CT.

The game will mark a return back to WNBA All-Star Angel Reese’s college roots where she played at LSU for two seasons from 2023-24, and led the Tigers to their first NCAA Championship in 2023. Sky center Kamilla Cardoso will also face the Brazilian National Team for the first time, after playing for her home country of Brazil in multiple international competitions.

“I’m very excited the Sky will play a preseason game at LSU,” Reese said. “It will be amazing to return to Baton Rouge, a community that means so much to me. LSU was instrumental in preparing me for the WNBA and I can’t wait to hit the court in front of both Tigers and Sky fans!”

“We are excited to host a WNBA game in May featuring the Chicago Sky and Angel Reese,” LSU Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kim Mulkey said. “Angel played a major role in establishing our program at LSU and I know our fans are going to be excited to have her back in the PMAC. She had such a great rookie season and we can’t wait to continue to watch her thrive in the WNBA.”

After winning a national title in 2023 with the Tigers, Reese was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament. She averaged 23.0 points, 15.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks in her junior season. Reese went on to be named SEC Player of the Year (2024), a three-time AP All-American (2022-24), two-time First Team All-SEC member (2023-24), two-time SEC All-Defense honoree (2023-24) and a 2024 Wooden Award All-American Team member.

In 2024, Reese led the SEC in scoring (18.6 points) and rebounds (13.4) for the second consecutive season, becoming the first player since Wendy Scholtens from Vanderbilt (1989-90) to lead the league in both stats over consecutive seasons. Reese finished her LSU career with the third-most points in a single season in LSU history (829 in 2023) and as the program leader in career rebounds per game (14.4).

“I am so excited to play against my former Brazilian national team,” Cardoso said. “Brazil has played such an important role in my life and has shaped the person I am today. Playing for the Sky against my former team gives me a wonderful opportunity to connect with my roots and play in front of old friends and teammates back home.”

Cardoso helped lead the team in the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in Belém, Brazil, but fell short in search for a Paris Olympics bid. In the tournament, she averageda double-double of 15.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.

With Cardoso at the helm, the Brazilian National Team won gold at the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup in Mexico, where she also was named Most Valuable Player and an All-Star 5 during the competition. During the AmeriCup, she averaged 10.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 58.5% from the field across seven games.

The Montes Claros, Brazil native led the team to a South American Women’s Championship gold medal win in 2022, FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, where they placed fourth, and a bronze medal win in the 2021 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. During the South American Championships, Cardoso ranked first in blocks with 2.6 per game, second in scoring and rebounds with 14.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game across the competition, respectively.

Brazil recently placed second at the 2024 South American Championship, which automatically qualified them for a spot as one of the 10 teams that will compete in the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup in Santiago, Chile from June 28-July 5. The team will use this exhibition as part of their training leading up to the competition.

Tickets for the game will go on sale on Monday, February 17 via http://www.lsutix.net/.

Chicago will tip off the 2025 regular season on Saturday, May 17 against the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 12 p.m. CT. Follow @chicagosky on all social media platforms and head to sky.wnba.com for the latest news, content and ticket purchasing. The full 2025 Sky season schedule can be viewed here.

*Chicago Sky press release