Angel Reese Slams 'Diabolical' WNBA Refs After Chicago Sky's Latest Defeat

WNBA star Angel Reese has had enough of the referees in the WNBA, and she's making her feelings known.

After posting an impressive stat line of 16 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists in the Chicago Sky's latest contest against the Minnesota Lynx on July 6, Angel Reese slammed the league's officials for what she viewed as missed foul calls while she was in the paint.

During her post-game press conference, the 6'3" power forward voiced her frustration with the league's officiating, noting the Sky only attempted eight free throws during the contest compared to the Lynx's 17.

"It's tough when you talk to officials, and I asked them, 'Hey, we've only been to the free throw line twice up until the fourth quarter,' and she tells me it's not her job," Reese told the media. "So it's frustrating because I know how hard we are battling inside, and I think that we came down and fought as hard as we could with what we had, and I just know we continue to grow in this."

And Reese didn't stop there.

"I think this is a leaping step for us, and obviously, we know we can compete with the best, but [the officiating] has to be fixed," she added before making a bold statement.

"And I don't give a d-mn if I get fined because that sh-t is cheap, and I'm tired of this sh-t," she said. "'Cause I've been nice, and I've been humble with it, but I am tired of this sh-t."

On X, Reese continued to slam the league and their officials, writing in one post, "[I don't give a f-ck], DO BETTER @WNBA."

In another post, Reese responded to a user who shared a picture of her being clearly fouled by a Lynx player, writing, "diabolical."

Reese, who also recently completed her fifth consecutive game with 15 or more rebounds, wasn't alone in her feelings.

One social media user agreed with Reese's earlier comment, writing, "This is diabolical. I played ball in school [and] we had better officiating than this."

Another user highlighted the potential dangers for athletes due to the lack of foul calls in a physical league.

"How many season-ending injuries have happened this year and last due to non-calls?" they asked. "How many more have to happen?"

A third user posted, "Exactly - you got [a] player throwing elbows and grabbing you around the waist, and the referees still play dumb! Why pay the referees if they can't be consistent?"

It's unclear whether the league will fine Reese for criticizing the officials. In 2023, however, Natisha Hiedeman shared a similar statement about WNBA referees on X, demanding they be "FAIR." In a separate post, the basketball player shared a screenshot of a message from an official informing them that the league had fined them $500 for their comments.

Heideman replied, "That's fine. It needed to be said."

Separate from the on-court drama, the Chicago Sky recently announced a new partnership with the online threat intelligence company Moonshot.

The company's role with the WNBA team is to "proactively address online hate, harassment, and abuse targeting athletes," the press release said, according to The Blast.

Moonshot will also help identify and remove "concerning content, assess credible risks, take actions to mitigate harm, and help the Sky interpret the underlying drivers of online abuse."

Co-owner and Operating Chairman of the Chicago Sky, Nadia Rawlinson, voiced her support for the team's groundbreaking new partnership, expressing hope that it helps protect athletes from the "abuse across social media and on the dark web."

"Hate and harassment have no place in sports," Rawlinson added.

The partnership was prompted by data showing that female athletes, women of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community face "disproportionate amounts of online harassment, abuse, and threats of violence."

"Unfortunately, these incidents are increasing commensurately with the growth in women's sports, sports betting, and use of artificial intelligence," Rawlinson continued.

Vidhya Ramalingam, CEO of Moonshot, also spoke about his company's new deal with the WNBA and the Chicago Sky and explained that the company is "honored to support the Chicago Sky in this strategic and pioneering effort to protect their players and coaches."

"Our work is grounded in a decade of national security experience, understanding the origins of online abuse and what to do about it," Ramalingam added. "We are grateful for the opportunity to leverage our technology and expertise to advance player safety at a time when interest in women's sports is at an all-time high. We hope this unique, first-of-its-kind partnership will serve as a model for other sports teams and leagues."