Rebounding excellence runs in the Reese family, folks.
Julian Reese grabbed 17 rebounds against Utah, tying Shaquille O'Neal as the fastest player to reach 60 career boards. The rookie center for the Washington Wizards - and younger brother of WNBA star Angel Reese - is proving that dominating the glass is in his DNA.
Think about that list for a second. Julian Reese. Shaquille O'Neal. That's the company this 22-year-old is keeping.
The kid put up 26 points and 17 rebounds in the Wizards' 133-110 win over the Jazz. Since getting promoted from the G-League, Reese has been an absolute force on the boards. Earlier this month, he joined Shaq and Tim Duncan as the only players in the past 40 years to record a 20-rebound game within their first five career appearances.
If you know anything about Angel Reese, this shouldn't surprise you. The WNBA's two-time rebounding champion dominated the glass at LSU and has continued that dominance in the pros. She's got an instinct for where the ball is going to come off the rim, and clearly, her little brother has the same gift.
"Angel taught me a lot about rebounding," Julian said after the game, according to Sporting News. "It's not just about jumping high - it's about positioning, timing, and wanting it more than the other guy."
That's the mentality that makes great rebounders. It's not always about size or athleticism. It's about effort, anticipation, and sheer determination. And the Reese siblings have that in spades.
The Wizards found something special here. Julian wasn't getting major minutes early in the season, but injuries and opportunity led to his G-League promotion, and he's seized the moment. He's averaging a double-double since joining the rotation and has given Washington a legitimate presence in the paint.
For the Reese family, this is another chapter in a remarkable basketball story. Their father played college ball. Angel became a national champion and WNBA star. And now Julian is carving out his own legacy in the NBA.
The comparisons to Shaq are fun, but let's be clear - Julian Reese isn't Shaquille O'Neal. Very few humans are. But he doesn't need to be Shaq to have a successful NBA career. He just needs to keep doing what he's doing: crashing the glass, finishing around the rim, and giving maximum effort every night.
The Reese name is becoming synonymous with rebounding excellence. Angel dominated the boards in the W, and now Julian is doing it in the NBA. Genetics? Hard work? A combination of both? Whatever it is, it's working.
That's what sports is all about, folks. Family legacy, hard work paying off, and making a name for yourself while honoring those who came before you.
