Adjusting to the WNBA has been no walk in the park for Angel Reese. And now, to make matters even worse, her Chicago Sky recently succumbed to a crushing 82-86 home defeat to the Connecticut Sun. But despite the underwhelming start to her professional career, the 22-year-old has found herself a very special supporter – the ex-wife of Michael Jordan, Juanita Vanoy.

The 64-year-old attended the Sky’s latest clash to display her support for the youngster. Following the game, she even uploaded an image of Reese on Instagram to cheer her up. With the caption, “We’ll get the next one,” Juanita backed the Sky forward to succeed in the long run.

Her support toward the franchise might have spurred from her connection to the city. As a former spouse of MJ, Juanita lived in Chicago for over a decade to support her ex-husband’s basketball career.

Even after separation from the NBA icon, she continued to reside in the Kingsbury Estate in Chicago, refusing to sever her tie to the city. Consequently, when the franchise brought in a potential superstar of Reese’s caliber, Juanita had all the more reason to support them.

At the same time, the youngster continues trying her best, slowly but surely adjusting to the league’s demands. She is now averaging an impressive 12 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1 steal per contest in 27 minutes of action.

Although she has a long way to go to fulfill her potential, these numbers highlight how she is slowly overcoming early obstacles and setting herself up for success.

Additionally, her clash against the Sun also provided a glimpse into her mental fortitude as a competitor. During a third-quarter possession, the opposition’s Alyssa Thomas intentionally attempted to choke-slam her while contesting for a rebound. Amidst the severity of the incident, Reese remained unfazed, declaring,

“I want them to come at me every day. I want them to come at everybody. They’re not supposed to be nice to me…or lay down because I’m Angel Reese or cause I’m a rookie…Thank you AT for sending a message to me because I got back up and I kept going and kept pushing”.

So, Reese certainly seems to be on the right track at the moment. Now the youngster will only hope that it results in more wins as her career progresses.