Something Doesn’t Add Up Around Chicago Sky Front Office’s Angel Reese Pushback, Finds WNBA Insider

The issue on the table: Is it fair to suspend someone for telling the truth? Plenty of Chicago’s supposed ‘dirty laundry’ was aired out through superstar Angel Reese recently, and the backlash has been immense. Reese, while talking to the Chicago Tribune, had a candid conversation about the changes she needed to see, only it rubbed everyone the wrong way. Her teammates felt “blindsided” while the management was uneasy with AR’s words and actions.

But can you fault her? The team went 10-33 in the regular season, and the Sky’s efforts to consolidate their backcourt didn’t work either–Sloot tore her ACL, and Ariel Atkins fought her own battles with injury. The crux of Angel’s conversation was, “We can’t settle for what we have this year,” and considering the situation, it isn’t an unfair ask. Sure, AR took it too far. You never call out your teammates publicly, after all. However, Chicago’s response to the situation–a half-game suspension against Las Vegas–only added to the problem instead of providing a solution.

Even Ice Young, a WNBA analyst for Yahoo Sports, agreed! She approached this scenario with a rather nuanced take. “I want to give her a little bit of grace in that you’re young. You made a mistake. You spoke a little too freely at the right time… I think the timing of these comments aren’t okay. But to me, these comments come from a player that cares about where they are, that wants to win and voice that.” Young said on Yahoo’s new Hoops 360 podcast.

She held the Chicago Sky star accountable for when she said what she said, but at the end of the day? The truth is the truth. Which, in turn, led to a very important question that we’re still finding the answer to. “What does it say about the Chicago franchise that you suspend a player for half a game for making honest comments about their team?”

It’s safe to say that the Chicago Sky’s public perception isn’t strong right now. Reese tried to hold them accountable, and in turn? She got slapped with a sudden suspension. Young’s co-host, Caroline Fenton, also had an interesting question to ask–what would’ve happened if someone other than Angel Reese had brought all of this up? “If those comments weren’t the number one topic of conversation on every sports show in America, would that player have gotten suspended?” She asked, before adding that not everything has to be black and white, and not everything has to set a precedent.

Comparatively, WNBA precedents vary. In 2019, Natasha Cloud was fined but not suspended for criticizing officiating, a less severe penalty. NBA players like Draymond Green rarely face suspensions for off-court comments unless they violate league policies. The Sky’s half-game suspension, combined with Reese’s technical foul ban and injury, may have amplified perceptions of overreach.

But, in response to her question of if someone else said it, or if it wasn’t as viral as it turned out to be, would it still be considered as “comments detrimental to the team”? The answer would most likely be no. Angel Reese’s off-court antics and her viral lowlights always put a target on the six-foot-two center’s back. Ice Young agreed, pointing out that if a 10-year career vet pointed all of this out, “We probably would have looked at it differently. Like they’re taking accountability, they’re taking ownership.” 

However, since Reese was the one who poked the bear, the response has been rather negative. The media loves to vilify the Bayou Barbie and make an example out of her. However, regardless of hypotheticals or justifications, the question remains–was AR’s suspension fair? Let’s take a deeper look at what went down and whether Chicago made the right move.

Did the Chicago Sky overreact while punishing Angel Reese?

The short answer? Maybe. The long answer? It’s not that simple. Here’s the thing: Superstars are held to a higher scrutiny than other players. That’s precisely why questions along the lines of “if it were anybody else” don’t necessarily make sense. Angel Reese is not ‘anybody’, she’s the cornerstone of the Sky’s future. Or at least, she was until this drama started to unfold. Currently, the situation between Chicago and its six-foot-two center is quite tense, and people don’t know what to make of it.

Now, a disclaimer before we go any further–Angel Reese wasn’t right in this situation either. Passion and competitiveness can excuse many things, but calling your teammates out on the biggest stage? That’s a cardinal sin in sports, and some repercussions do need to be there. After all, AR is not bigger than the sport, and basketball is a team game. Calling out Atkins, Van Lith, and Vandersloot was not necessary, but she did it anyway.

But to play the devil’s advocate, Chicago didn’t send the right sort of signals when they handed Reese a first-half suspension against the Aces. Even Ice Young pointed this out on Hoops360. “Were the comments okay? No. But you’re also a professional athlete. Like, you have to be able to address and say, ‘Hey, we need to be better. We need better things done.'” She said. After all, Chicago’s 10-33 record isn’t just because of poor rotations or bad luck. There’s a fundamental issue with the team that needs to be fixed.

Not to mention, AR’s teammates acknowledged the lack of malicious intent behind her words. “She obviously doesn’t want to disrespect us or anything like that. Ultimately, I think the goal of [the interview] was just to share things she wanted to see in the future for the team and improvements that could be made.” Her teammate Elizabeth Williams said to the Sun-Times, echoing the sentiments of the Sky locker room.

To mend the rift, the Sky could focus on transparent communication with Reese, involving her in offseason planning to address her concerns about roster improvements. Reese, in turn, could channel her passion into private discussions with management, as Candace Parker suggested. The organization might also consider leadership training for Reese to harness her influence positively.

So yes, while some punishment makes sense for the Chicago Sky center, suspending her wasn’t the right idea. The issue was with how AR put her message forth, not the message itself. What do you think? Was the Sky’s suspension of Reese fair, or should they have handled it differently? Share your thoughts below.