The basketball world witnessed a rare sibling symmetry, as Julian Reese delivered a historic performance for theWashington Wizards that mirrored the record-breaking rookie season of his sister, Angel Reese.
Stepping into the starting lineup against the Utah Jazz due to a frontcourt injury crisis, the 22-year-old forward finished with 18 points and 20 rebounds in 38 minutes of action.
The outing made him the youngest NBA player this season to record at least 18 points and 10 offensive boards in a single game, a feat Angel Reese achieved as the youngest in WNBA history just one season prior.
“JUJU MF REESE. @Reese10Julian,” Angel Reese wrote on X.
Julian’s path to this moment was defined by persistence rather than a high draft pedigree. After going undrafted out of the University of Maryland in 2025, he spent the summer with the Los Angeles Lakers before signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Toronto Raptors.
Most of his 2025-2026 campaign was spent in the G League with Raptors 905, where he averaged 8.6 points and 7.8 rebounds. It wasn’t until February 28, 2026, that the Wizards signed him to a two-way contract, providing the Baltimore native a chance to play professionally just miles from his hometown.
Sibling bond and maternal influence center the Reese family’s double-success
The emotional weight of the moment was evident earlier in the week during Julian’s second career game against the Orlando Magic.
Angel Reese was spotted courtside wearing her brother’s No. 15 Wizards jersey, visibly moved to tears as she watched him compete on an NBA floor for the first time. Following that game, she shared a childhood photo of the pair on social media with the caption “FOREVER US,” a sentiment Julian has frequently echoed throughout his journey from the G League to the Wizards’ starting five.
The “rebound habit” that has become a trademark for both siblings, highlighted by Julian becoming the first Wizards rookie since Tom Gugliotta in 1993 to grab 20 boards, is often credited to their mother, Angel Reese Sr.
A former professional player herself, she raised the duo in Baltimore and pushed them to compete against one another on their backyard court from a young age. While Angel has dominated the WNBA glass with the Chicago Sky, Julian’s 10-offensive-rebound performance against Utah suggests that the family’s relentless motor is a shared genetic trait.
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