WNBA fines Chicago Sky, rookie Angel Reese over media responsibilities

The WNBA has fined Chicago Sky and rookie Angel Reese over failing to meet their media responsibilities, per a recent release.

Angel Reese has been fined $1,000 for failing to make herself available for media following Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Fever. The Chicago Sky were fined $5,000 for not upholding the league’s media policies and making sure that all players comply with media policies and make themselves available.

“Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky has been fined $1,000 for failing to make herself available to the media for interviews following the game on Saturday, June 1 vs. Indiana, the WNBA announced today,” the release read.

“In addition, the Sky organization has been fined $5,000 for failing to ensure that all players comply with WNBA media policies.”

The game on Saturday was a highly anticipated game, as it was the first time Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark matched up since their time in college. There, the two played a series of highly competitive games that helped draw attention to women’s college basketball. Within those games was a rivalry between the two on the court where they weren’t afraid to trash talk one another.

There was a controversial moment during the game when Chennedy Carter knocked Caitlin Clark to the ground away from the play. At the same time, she appeared to be shouting at Clark. That play wasn’t ruled a flagrant on the court but has since been upgraded by the WNBA to a flagrant 1.

On that controversial foul, Angel Reese could be seen standing up on the bench and cheering. She and Chennedy Carter shortly thereafter greeted one another on the side of the court, with Reese putting her arm around Carter. Certainly, those are things that media members would have liked to ask Reese about in her postgame availability.

For her part, Caitlin Clark shared her thoughts on the play during a mid-game interview.

“It’s just not a basketball play,” Clark said. “Gotta play through it. That’s what playing basketball is at this level.”

Angel Reese ended the game having played 30 minutes, scoring eight points with 13 rebounds. However, that wasn’t enough to beat Indiana, and the Fever won 71-70. With that, Chicago fell to 3-4 on the season. The Fever, meanwhile, are up to 2-8 this year.

The Sky and Fever will play again on Sunday, June 16th. That game will be another home one for the Fever and it will be interesting to see how the crowd reacts in that matchup.