They tipped off with a crackle—Chicago’s double-double queen, Angel Reese, squared up against the Sparks’ versatile tower, Azurá Stevens. Sparks surged early, a 10–2 flurry that felt like lightning in a bottle. Chicago clawed back, but by halftime, Stevens had flipped the script—unmistakable, unstoppable, historic… hook: By the final whistle, history would wear her jersey.As the second stanza of the game began, Reese took charge defensively, visibly keyed in. She held Stevens to only four points in the second half. But that first half? An utter showcase: Stevens was perfect, shooting 6-for-6, carving up the floor. According to a post on X by LakersLockedin: “Azurá Stevens at the half: 17 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STL | 4 BLK — Making her presence felt on both ends of the floor.” Azurá Stevens at the half:17 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STL | 4 BLK Making her presence felt on both ends of the floor. #LASparks #WNBA #AZURÁSTEVENS pic.twitter.com/8jMWz5Sys2— LakersLockedIn (@lakerslocked) June 25, 2025Those numbers weren’t just flashy—they were historic. Stevens became the first player in WNBA history to post 20+ points, 4+ blocks, and 4+ steals while shooting 80% or better. Then she added another first: at least 4 made threes along with 4 steals and 4 blocks. She ended with a stat line for the ages: 21 PTS, 7 REB, 8 STL+BLK—a perfectly balanced nightmare for any defender.Meanwhile, Reese was no slouch. She finished with an imposing 18 points and 17 rebounds, powering Chicago to a 97–86 victory. Kamilia Cardoso had her moment too: 27 career-high points, including a clutch drive that gave Chicago its first lead late in the fourth. Ariel Atkins chipped in 13.Chicago executed a stunning 30–17 run to close the game, erasing Stevens’ brilliance and proving it takes more than one all-time performance to win.The Sparks controlled early—27–17 after one quarter—and led 44–32 midway through the second. But the Sky were relentless, narrowing it to 48–42 at the break. In the third, Rebecca Allen hit a pair that knotted it at 65–65 and later 67–67. Plum’s basket edged them ahead at 69–67 before the final stretch.This game wasn’t just a contest—it was a clash of narratives. Reese, the reigning rebound queen, squared off against Stevens, who weaponized her all-around arsenal into history. Reese held her own, outmatched in name but bested in impact. The result? A statement from Chicago: individual greatness is thrilling, but basketball is a team sport, especially when the Game 20+ monument is set, but you still walk away with a loss.Lisa Leslie’s Mentorship Pays Off as Angel Reese ShinesAfter the game—which was a crowning moment for the Chicago Sky, who finally notched their fourth victory in 14 games—Angel Reese made it a point to spotlight not just her performance but also the quiet force behind her development: Lisa Leslie.“She told me continue to work, ‘you’re a beast on the boards’… she’s an amazing woman… that’s a great big sister, mom, aunt… she doesn’t have to do it… that’s why this past year I put her in my McDonald’s commercial… she’s a baddie… she deep down supports… she send me Bible verses in the morning… and having her in the corner has been the best thing for me,” Reese said, her voice tinged with both gratitude and awe.Jun 17, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) looks to pass the ball against the Washington Mystics during the first half of a WNBA game at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesReese’s admiration isn’t just symbolic. Over the past year, Lisa Leslie, the 2X WNBA Champ, has been a near-daily presence in her growth—part mentor, part coach, part motivator. In a February episode of Unapologetically Angel, Leslie delivered a statement that turned heads:“I feel like you’re me 2.0.”But the praise came with a plan.“The biggest advice I have for you is gonna be how you shoot your layups, period… We’re gonna fix that. That’s fixable for you.”And fix it, she did. Just weeks after Leslie’s appearance, Reese erupted with the kind of dominance that made headlines: she logged the WNBA’s first 20–20 game, followed it with the highest double-double tally of the season, and strung together the most consecutive double-doubles by a rookie in league history. The finishing touches? Sharper. The footwork? More efficient. The confidence? Radiant.Leslie’s mentorship didn’t stop at mechanics. It extended into motivation, discipline, and faith.“I think your shot from the outside is improving… I love the fact that you want to get better. For me to hear… ‘I want you to work with me… I want to get better’—that’s what it’s about.”Whether it was light-hearted emojis—“Yep”— on socials after a big night or quiet courtside observations, Lisa Leslie’s support felt consistent and intentional. Reddit threads even echoed her influence:“She absolutely looks like she has been in the lab cooking… and… she appears to be very coachable because she started doing the very things Leslie has mentioned.”Though Reese stumbled early in the 2025 season, her growth under Leslie’s mentorship now feels inevitable. And with Lisa Leslie in her corner, the transformation is far from over.The post Angel Reese Outmatched as Azura Stevens Makes WNBA History Against Chicago Sky appeared first on EssentiallySports.