“I am who I am and I accept who I am. People are going to either love it or hate it,” Angel Reese tells PEOPLE. “I think that separates you from whoever else”.

The Chicago Sky rookie spoke with PEOPLE exclusively about her undeniable confidence and inspiring young girls to find empowerment within themselves.

Ahead of the Fever vs. Sky rematch, the Chicago Sky rookie spoke exclusively with PEOPLE about her undeniable confidence and inspiring young girls to find the strength within themselves.

Speaking about her next opponent, Indiana Fever, Reese shared: “They are in good form, but like I said, everyone has weaknesses and I will take advantage of that to gain an advantage for myself.”

Reese made a surprise appearance at the South Side YMCA in Chicago on June 28 for an educational event focused on basketball and all things self-care. “Hopefully they can look at me as a sister,” Reese told PEOPLE of what she hope the young girls will gain from the interactive day.

“I remember when I was that little girl, wanting to look up to someone and be where I am right now,” the star athlete recalls. “Hopefully I can give them some confidence that you can do whatever you put your mind to,” she says.

Reese’s athleticism on the court is complimented by the confidence that she exudes, a personality trait the 22-year-old hooper says she’s possessed her whole life. “I think I was always confident,” the former LSU star says.

“I think it started when I was always the tallest in the class. I had to be confident because I was towering over everybody,” she explains. “So it started at a young age.”

Just as Reese strived to boost the young girls’ confidence at the YMCA — in addition to all females who look up to her around the world — she credits her grandmother for being that motivation for her when she was a kid, herself.

The Chicago Sky has won only one game of the last five since the league resumed.

The WNBA’s historic season began back in April with the draft, which became the most-watched in league history, drawing 2.4 million viewers-a staggering 307% increase over last year. Since then, the league has reached unprecedented milestones, including record-breaking TV ratings, sold-out arenas, soaring merchandise sales, and a surge in social media engagement.

Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese heads to the locker room after being ejected from a WNBA basketball gameAP

The true driving force behind this resurgence is rookie sensationCaitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever (13-16), combined with the exceptional talent already present in the league, such as A’Ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, and Sabrina Ionescu. Additionally, Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky (11-18) is emerging as the league’s “villain” due to her rivalry with Clark. While Reese leads the league in rebounds per game (12.9), Clark tops the charts in assists (8.2).

Angel Reese: A Rebounding Powerhouse

There’s no doubt that Angel Reese’s greatest strength is her rebounding ability, both offensively and defensively, which is why she currently leads the league with 12.9 rebounds per game. Despite her short career, Reese has already set several historic records in the WNBA. Between June and July, she recorded 15 consecutive double-doubles, and in yesterday’s loss to the Las Vegas Aces (18-11), she became the first player in WNBA history to secure 20 or more rebounds in three consecutive games, breaking the league record for most double-doubles by a rookie with 22. To put that in perspective, the last NBA player to hit the 20-rebound mark in three straight games was Ben Wallace with the Detroit Pistons in 2003, and before him, Wilt Chamberlain in 1973.

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With her 22 double-doubles this season, Reese is just six shy of the 28 that Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas set last season as the league record. Reese still has 11 games remaining in the season so it’s probable that the record is broken in consecutive seasons. Despite her achievements, “Bayou Barbie” has a low field goal percentage of .387, with many of her rebounds coming off her own missed shots. Just take a look at the video above.

However, such mistakes are expected for a 22-year-old just starting her career and should give future opponents something to think about. Reese is already a threat in the paint, and opposing coaches are beginning to factor her into their game plans when facing the Sky. It’s clear that if we can spot her weaknesses, so can Reese and the Chicago coaching staff, and they are working tirelessly to improve her game-especially during the offseason.

Chicago’s Playoff Opportunities

With 11 games remaining for the Chicago Sky, who are 4-10 at home this season, currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot. The Liberty (25-5), Sun (22-7), and Lynx (22-8) have already clinched their playoff berths. Given the underperformance of the Los Angeles Sparks, Dallas Wings, and Washington Mystics, it seems that the battle for the seventh and eighth playoff spots will be between the Indiana Fever (13-16), Chicago Sky (11-18), and Atlanta Dream (10-18). Reese has averaged 13.5 points and 12.9 rebounds in 29 games this season.