Monday wasn’t typical for Sky rookie Angel Reese.
After spending the morning with her team at Sachs Recreation Center in Deerfield for practice, the Sky forward left early for a “prior engagement.”
Coach Teresa Weatherspoon held back on disclosing where Reese was headed but said the team supported her. A short time later, Reese shared on X, formerly Twitter, a short but very loud message.
“One thing about me,” Reese said. “I’m [going to] maximize my 24 hours.”
Angel Reese on maximizing your 24HRS.
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) May 7, 2024
The Sky rookie is back in Chicago, gearing up for her first game at Wintrust Arena after spending the evening at the Met Gala in NYC. pic.twitter.com/9GWLsnDNti
About three hours later, Reese emerged on the Met Gala red carpet wearing a plunging, sequin-soaked dress by the British designer 16 Arlington. The gown featured a feathered mini skirt that flowed into a sheer, embellished layer that draped to the floor.
Angel Reese at her first #MetGala! 🩵 pic.twitter.com/v1Gl0au9PN
— People (@people) May 7, 2024
On her feet, she wore custom Stuart Weitzman pumps, which she paired with jewelry by New York designer Briony Raymond, Material Good and Bernard James. Reese was styled by Vogue editor Naomi Elizée.
“I’ve always dreamed of this moment. Being here on my 22nd birthday is amazing,” she told Women’s Wear Daily as she left the Mark Hotel en route to the gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “I look amazing. I feel beautiful, and I feel sexy.”
Reese is the first WNBA rookie to attend the event and second WNBA player overall. Brittney Griner attended in 2023. According to a social media post from Reese’s mother, also Angel, she was seated at a table with artists Cardi B and Erykah Badu and actor Coleman Domingo.
Sky co-owner Dwyane Wade also attended with his wife, actress and businesswoman Gabrielle Union. Other athletes attending the gala included Nets guard Ben Simmons, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton and tennis stars Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova.
Reese continues to solidify herself as a multihyphenate woman in the sports space. She was among the top NIL earners during her senior year at LSU. One of those partnerships included a multiyear deal with Reebok. In a recent video, Reese detailed her choice to sign with Reebok over “so many other shoe companies,” she said in the video.
“They didn’t have a woman basketball player, a face,” Reese said. “So I wanted to be that.”
Reese has an established connection to the fashion world’s premier event via Vogue. Two days after LSU lost to Iowa in the Elite Eight, Reese declared for the WNBA Draft in a profile written by the publication. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is the chair of the Met Gala.
On Monday night, Vogue documented Reese’s Met debut.
A test of how Reese will handle juggling being a professional athlete and a businesswoman will come Tuesday night when she suits up for the Sky’s preseason game against the Liberty.
Weatherspoon said Reese will be back and available for the game. The Sky will be leaning on her with a lengthy injury report that includes rookie Kamilla Cardoso (shoulder) being out and forward Isabelle Harrison (knee) listed as questionable.
