Angel Reese's return was highly anticipated, and a bold claim from Skylar Diggins-Smith set the stage for a dramatic finish. However, it was Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell who had the final say.

The challenge came from Indiana Fever star Kelsey Mitchell and her team, Hive. Rose BC entered the matchup at 5–6, hoping to climb back into the playoff race. And Skylar Diggins reaction to Reese’s return just added to the hype.

“The Barbie said, ‘Baby, I’m back and I’m better.’” she said by the end of first quarter.  And to be fair, Reese did make an impact. She finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Yet, it wasn’t enough as Rose BC fell 80–78 to Hive, all thanks to Mitchell, who led the way with 27 points. 

She shot 9-of-16 from the field, 3-of-6 from three, and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line in just 19 minutes of play, and laid up the game-winning play. Now, Rose BC sits at 5–7 for the season. 

While Reese couldn't secure the win, her impact was clear. After all, she previously played for Rose BC during Unrivaled’s inaugural season.

Can Angel Reese Help Rose BC?

The “Chi-Town Barbie” didn’t originally plan to play in the league this season. She stepped in after Aari McDonald was ruled out with a right leg injury.

"Angel [Reese], she's, obviously, a young player, a really well-known player, and someone who did really well last year. Her team won. To have her back on the Rose is awesome," Napheesa Collier said ahead of Reese's return.

Last season's Defensive Player of the Year, the Chicago Sky superstar led the league in rebounding with 12.1 boards per game.

She carried that momentum into the 2025 WNBA regular season. Reese averaged 14.7 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. So it's no surprise that Collier had nothing but praise for the Sky star.

"She's just been such a huge addition to Unrivaled, and so, even though it's only the end of the season, we're happy to have her," Collier added.

But Chi-town Barbie can shift momentum moving forward. But how quickly can she change the team’s trajectory?

You can read more on She Got Game!

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi