Chicago Sky sensation Angel Reese brought her mother to tears with a deeply touching birthday surprise—paying off her mortgage in full.
The 22-year-old WNBA star, selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft, has been making waves on and off the court. With major endorsement deals from brands like Reese’s, McDonald’s, Beats by Dre, and Reebok, Reese has built a substantial net worth. She shared the emotional moment on her podcast, Unapologetically Angel.
During the latest episode, Reese surprised her mother with a birthday cake and a life-changing announcement. “Well, it’s your birthday today,” she began, handing over the cake. Before they could sing, she continued, “You said that if your mortgage was paid off, you would retire… so your mortgage today has been paid.”
Her stunned mother nearly lost grip of the cake in disbelief. But Reese reassured her, adding, “And if you wanna still work… if you wanna keep yourself busy, you can keep yourself busy. But Jamel has it handled, shout out to Jamel for making it happen, and Janine, of course. Your mortgage is paid. Are you still going to work?”
Overcome with emotion, her mother gasped, “Are you serious?” before bursting into tears. Reese embraced her, joyfully exclaiming, “Happy birthday!”
The moment was deeply meaningful for Reese, who shared, “That was my biggest goal in life—to retire you and pay your mortgage or whatever you wanted.”
Acknowledging her mother’s strong work ethic, she added, “You’re a hard-working woman, you don’t need me for no money. That’s why I’ve always said, ‘She never needed me for no money.’”
Basketball runs in Reese’s family. Her parents, Angel Webb Reese and Michael Reese, both had successful collegiate and professional basketball careers. Her mother played at the University of Maryland before playing professionally in Luxembourg, while her father competed at Boston College and the University of Maryland before playing internationally.
Reese has previously spoken about her mother’s influence on her basketball journey, recalling how she would attend her mother’s games as a child. “She used to play in a little league, and I used to always go watch her games on Sundays. That was something that was always inspiring to me,” she told Just Women’s Sports.
Reese’s desire to support her family has been a long-standing goal. Last year, she shared, “I’m able to spend time with my mom. I can pay my mom’s mortgage. My family, everybody’s taken care of.” She also emphasized the importance of her strong support system: “One thing about me, I have a really good circle around me, and I think that’s really important.”
Her basketball résumé is just as impressive. After playing at the University of Maryland from 2020 to 2022, she transferred to LSU, where she cemented her status as a rising star. In her rookie WNBA season with the Chicago Sky, Reese earned WNBA All-Rookie Team honors, secured an All-Star selection, and led the league in rebounds.
Currently, Reese is competing in the 3v3 Unrivaled League, an off-season venture launched by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. She plays for Rose BC alongside Brittney Sykes, Kaleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Lexie Hull, and Azura Stevens.
Despite a challenging start—winning just one of their first four games—Rose BC holds the fifth spot in the league standings.
