Dennis Rodman hit the nail right on the head when he said, “Basketball is a simple game, but when you leave this confined zone, it’s hard.” The media, the fans, the critics–the whole nine yards are a lot more difficult to bear than the game itself. We’re seeing it in the WNBA right now. The league had to unveil a whole ‘no space for hate’ platform entering the new season. But even as the trouble persists, Angel Reese’s comments remind it is just about the hardwood at the end of it all.

Injuries and tensions have underlined the 2025 WNBA season, and it seems like someone is catching strays wherever they go. Recently, Phoenix Mercury vet Alyssa Thomas discussed how the fans are getting out of control. “I think our sports culture have (given) fans the freedom to say whatever they want to us. Unfortunately, there are a lot of nasty things that come with it,” she said during media availability before the All-Star Game… but what nasty things is Thomas talking about?

The six-foot-two forward has been dealing with negativity for her entire eleven-year career, but lately, it has been a step too far. She called it the worst of her career in Indiana last year, referring to racism. And like clockwork, fans had got on the troll train again after the comments mentioned above. But as Brianna Turner once said, “They talk their talk, but I highly doubt they’re watching any games or any content.” So, for those who are listening, it is all about the game, and Angel Reese has just the things to say about Thomas.

Call it coming in clutch, the six-foot-two center for Chicago, and Thomas’ recent All-Star teammate, sang praises about the WNBA vet.

“Man, I love AT!” Reese said, talking about the tips Thomas was giving her. “She was telling me about the little-and-big ball screen. Obviously, she played with Rachel [Banham]. So she was like, Rachel is probably one of the best for you to do the pick-and-roll. She could set the screen for you, or you could set the screen for her because that’s why people won’t back off.” 

Veteran presence and involvement are very important for younger players. Even though Angel Reese is a two-time All-Star, she has also only been in the league for a couple years. She still has a long path to walk, and AT? She’s walked it till the very end. Or as Angel said, “She’s one of the greatest in the league, and she’s done a lot of great things.”

The respect and love the Chicago Sky sophomore had for Alyssa Thomas wasn’t unrequited either, as the Mercury vet had nothing but compliments and advice for the young star. Let’s find out exactly what AT said about Reese during the All-Star Game media availability!

Alyssa Thomas’s precious words of advice for Angel Reese

How do you play for more than a decade in a league that’s ready to chew you up and spit you out in just three years? We don’t have the answer to that, but Alyssa Thomas sure does. The six-foot-two Mercury vet has been a stone-cold killer on the floor for eleven years now, and she hasn’t shown any signs of stopping! And as always, the veteran is always willing to take the young’uns under her wing.

In AT’s case, she sees hints of her younger self in Angel Reese, a young star that’s quite polarizing in today’s WNBA. “It’s her playmaking ability. I think how people defend her? A lot of people play her for her drive, and knowing she likes to go to the basket. She definitely has the intelligence to read the game,” Thomas said to a reporter who compared the two.

Her advice for Reese? More reps. “I think the more she plays basketball and reads the game, she’ll know how to pick the defense apart.” Alyssa Thomas said, expressing faith in the six-foot-two center from Chi-Town.

This lines up with what legends like Lisa Leslie also had to say about the “Skyscraper”. No one ever doubts her hustle, and if she ends up putting more hours in, there’s no doubt that Angel Reese will turn out greater. It will be interesting to see if AR can live up to AT’s expectations, but that’s between them.