During Saturday night’s WNBA game against the Dallas Wings, Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese was on the receiving end of a harsh flagrant foul from All-Star Alyssa Thomas, which resulted in Thomas being ejected for an elbow to Reese’s head.
However, Reese, the former LSU Tigers star and 2023 national champion, remained undeterred by the incident. Speaking with The Athletic, she conveyed a strong message to her WNBA peers.
“It’s not just because I’m a rookie. I’m a player. I’m a basketball player,” Reese said, according to The Athletic. “They don’t give a damn if I’m a rookie. I mean, I want them to come at me every day. I want them to come at everybody.”
Reese emphasized that she doesn’t expect any leniency from her competitors in the league because of her rookie status or her accomplishments.
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“They’re not supposed to be nice to me. I hope y’all understand that. They’re not supposed to ease up because I’m Angel Reese or because I’m a rookie. Like, thank you, AT, for sending a message. I got back up and I kept going, kept pushing,” she explained. Reese also noted her longstanding relationship with Thomas from their days at Maryland, affirming that there are no hard feelings. “Like me and AT have been cool since we were at Maryland, so I know it’s no hard feelings. I appreciate her for challenging me today and every day,” she added.
