One rising WNBA star quickly made a fan out of Kevin Durant.
On Monday night, the Suns posted a video asking their players to name their favorite female athlete. WNBA players naturally received plenty of recognition from their peers.
Devin Booker, Collin Gillespie, Tyus Jones, and Royce O'Neale each picked Diana Taurasi shortly after the WNBA's all-time scoring leader announced her retirement. Bol Bol chose Sue Bird because he uses the all-time assists leader in NBA 2K.
Maya Moore and Cameron Brink also received votes. Beyond basketball, Serena Williams, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Lindsey Vonn garnered shout-outs. Grayson Allen wisely picked his wife, former soccer player Morgan Reid Allen.
Meanwhile, Phoenix's veteran chose an athlete who's just getting started. Durant picked Angel Reese.
Reese's popularity has risen since she led LSU to a national championship in 2023. As a rookie, she grabbed a WNBA-high 13.1 rebounds per game and set a league record with 15 consecutive double-doubles.
Before beginning her second season with the Chicago Sky, Reese is leading Unrivaled in rebounds. The Rose became the second team to clinch a playoff berth on Monday night.
Local ties could help fuel Durant's appreciation for Reese. Both went to high school in Maryland, where Reese also attended college before transferring in 2022.
The respect is mutual. Reese discussed Durant on her Unapologetically Angel podcast after they sat next to each other during a Team USA women's basketball game last July.
"KD has been my favorite player since I was a kid and is still my favorite player," Reese said in September. "He's from the DMV. I love his mom. She comes out and supports the game."
Durant will join many fans in keeping tabs on Reese during the Unrivaled playoffs and 2025 WNBA campaign. Meanwhile, his Suns are fighting for an NBA play-in spot. They're 11th in the Western Conference standings with 21 games remaining this season.
