CHICAGO — You can forgive Angel Reese’s mother for nearly dropping her birthday cake when she heard the news.

The WNBA star surprised her mother, Angel Webb Reese, by revealing on her Unapologetically Angel podcast that she had paid off her mortgage.

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“You said that, if your mortgage was paid off, that you would retire, or you (would) pick if you want to work still. So your mortgage today has been paid,” Reese told her mother. “If you want to keep yourself busy, you can keep yourself busy.”

The Chicago Sky forward later called the moment a “dream come true.”

Her mother, who sometimes goes by “Big Angel,” was in disbelief, asking “Are you serious?” before beginning to cry.

Reese enjoyed an impressive rookie season for the Sky, averaging 13.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals. She finished second in the WNBA Rookie of the Year voting behind Caitlin Clark.

The 22-year-old is on a four-year, $324,383 contract, according to Spotrac, having been selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She also has sponsorship deals with the likes of McDonald’s, Reebok and, fittingly, Reese’s.

The $73,439 she earned in her first year is about 2% of the median salary earned by her male counterparts in the NBA. Reese even revealed in October that her salary does not cover her rent.

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“Big Angel” herself played college basketball for the University of Maryland at Baltimore County, and was later inducted into the UMBC Athletics Hall of Fame. She went on to play professionally in Luxembourg, according to ESPN.

In an interview with basketball writer Dorothy J. Gentry last year, the Sky forward said that her family was her inspiration.

“My mom is a single mom. Being able to raise two kids. I mean, I just graduated. My mom wouldn’t have been able to pay for college for me and my brother without me being able to get a athletic scholarship,” she said.

“I’m blessed. My mom don’t have no student loans. My brother graduates in December. So being able to walk away like that, I mean, that’s all I ever wanted in life.

“Me, my mom, and my brother, so that’s what it’s always been. That’s my motivation.”

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