A WNBA insider has come to Angel Reese’s defense, calling her recent half-game suspension “embarrassing.”
On Thursday’s episode of The Ringer WNBA Show, host Seerat Sohi sat down with league insider Chaunte’l Powell to unpack the Chicago Sky star’s ongoing conflict with the team.
Reese, speaking last week to Chicago Tribune reporter Julia Poe, voiced her frustrations with the organization. Days later, the Chi-Town Barbie was forced to sit the first half of Sunday’s 80-66 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, a move that sparked backlash across the league.
“I really don’t get it,” Sohi said. “I don’t understand why you suspend a player for half of a game. I don’t think we’ve ever seen this. I also think it’s kind of embarrassing. Like, what is really happening? She’s your best player, who is also your foundational, part of your future. … She’s essentially telling the truth about you as a management team.”
Both Sohi and Powell went further, pointing to Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca’s comments earlier in the season urging Reese to deliver “more production.” They argued that if players can be punished for public remarks, team executives should face the same standard.
Angel Reese ended up sitting out the second half of that same game, but this time due to a back injury.
“Protect your locker room”: Cunningham weighs in on Angel Reese’s controversial comments
The controversy also drew reactions from players around the league. On the Show Me Something podcast, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham didn’t mince words about the importance of team chemistry.
“That’s not great,” Cunningham said Tuesday. “There’s just some things that you can’t say… I’m a very team-first type of person. I always put the team before my feelings and I think that should be a standard. You got to protect your locker room. You just can’t be saying everything you’re feeling.”
Despite the turmoil, Reese’s sophomore season has been a bright spot. Through 30 games, she’s averaging 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 45.8%. Still, the Sky’s struggles continue, entering the final day of the 2025 regular season at 10-33, the second-worst record in the league.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
