The Chicago rookie is embracing the phycial play at the pro level.

Chicago Sky rookie forward Angel Reese has experienced her first “welcome to the league” moment. On Saturday, her team took on the Connecticut Sun, in which they fell short 86-82. Late in the third quarter, Reese went up for a rebound, and Sun forward Alyssa Thomas gave a good old-fashioned clothesline to Reese’s neck. She was knocked down and, fortunately, got back up with grace.

Thomas was called for a flagrant foul 2 and ejected from the game. Here’s how the play transpired.

While the foul was hard and looked malicious, Reese was the first to say that she doesn’t view it as personal, in fact, she encourages it. She spoke to the media after the game and said ‘it’s all basketball.’

“It’s not just because I’m a rookie. I’m a player. I’m a basketball player,” Reese said.“They don’t give a damn if I’m a rookie. I mean, I want them to come at me every day. I want them to come at everybody.”

“I mean, they’re not supposed to be nice to me. I hope y’all know that. They’re not supposed to be nice to me or lay down because I’m Angel Reese or because I’m a rookie. Like, thank you AT for sending a message to me because I got back up and I kept going and kept pushing. Like me and AT have been cool since we were at Maryland so I know it’s no hard feelings. I appreciate her for going at me today or every day.”

“I mean, they’re not supposed to be nice to me. I hope y’all know that. They’re not supposed to be nice to me or lay down because I’m Angel Reese or because I’m a rookie.”

In her home debut, Angel Reese got knocked down (hard) but isn’t complaining.https://t.co/2SPI3aZs3a

— jon greenberg (@jon_greenberg) May 26, 2024

The 22-year-old rookie hails from Maryland and attended Maryland University for her first two seasons in college. Funny enough, Thomas also attended Maryland and was the fourth overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft. Before the game, Resse expressed her admiration for Thomas. After the game, that remained the same, but Reese said she didn’t think Thomas’ foul was malicious.

“No hard feelings to AT,” Reese said. “I know she purposely probably didn’t do it towards me, but just being able to come out there and just be strong and stand on two feet, it was going to be a tough game and that’s what I’m built for.”

In four regular-season games thus far, Reese averages 12.3 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 35.7 percent shooting from the field. As we’ve seen in her time at LSU, Reese isn’t shy about getting physical and will play her game regardless.

The Chicago Sky sit at 2-2, with their next matchup at home against the Seattle Storm.