“I put her (Angel Reese) right at that C level. I think in terms of being above, you have to be able to have the ability to carry your team, be a one or two-option. I think Angel Reese is fantastic at her role, which is offensive rebounding. She showed and demonstrated so much growth in that first year,” Candace Parker said in an interview with Complex Sports after being asked to rank a few current WNBA players on a scale from S to D, with S being the highest. A very controversial move, one that the Bayou Barbie didn’t take kindly!

Candace put the likes of A’ja, Breanna, and Phee in the S tier, so it made sense for Reese to be ranked below them. Stewie is a 3x WNBA champion and a 2x MVP, while A’ja is a 2x champion, a 3x MVP, and a 2x Defensive Player of the Year. And then there’s Phee, who’s the frontrunner for MVP this year after finishing second last season and winning DPOY. The Lynx also took home the Commissioner’s Cup and finished as runners-up last season, so you can see why Candace had them locked in at S.

But C tier for Angel Reese? Obviously, it made no sense. So when a reporter asked Reese about Candace’s decision ahead of the match against the defending champions New York Liberty, the Chi Town Barbie had a blunt four-word reply: “I’m not answering that.”

Perhaps the worst part of Candace’s interview was when she clubbed Cameron Brink and Angel Reese together. “I think just in terms of her kind of showing glimpses of what she’s capable of. I think in the WNBA, with the space and her length and versatility, she’s going to be able to have an impact on the defensive end immediately,” Parker explained in the interview. As much as we all love Cameron — and truly believe she’ll be the X-factor to help the Sparks be the dark horses of the playoffs this season…Angel Reese has simply had a better WNBA career so far.

Brink has only played 25 games in the W so far because of the ACL injury she suffered during her rookie season. And as good as she’s been since coming back, Reese has just been on a different level. She currently leads the league in rebounds, averaging 12.3 per game, and has a league-high 18 double-doubles. Not to mention, she’s also leading the Chicago Sky in points and assists. It’s been an incredible season, and while the results haven’t matched her effort, being clubbed in the same category as Brink, who, with all due respect, has only played 25 games, averaging 6.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks, might not sit well with the Bayou Barbie.

To understand why it feels unfair for Angel to be in the C tier and why she deserves at least a B — just listen to her teammates. Reese is already becoming an inspiration for players across the league.

Kamilla Cardoso models her game on Angel Reese

The Chicago Sky finally managed to win a game after 5 consecutive defeats. And it was a big one! It came against the New York Liberty. It wasn’t just Reese who showed up, either. Kamilla Cardoso came up clutch, dropping 22 points and grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds to secure the Sky’s ninth win of the season.

After the game Cardoso revealed her inspiration for tonight’s performance. It was the Chi Town Barbie. “I just try to inspire myself after Angel. She’s a great rebounder, and I try to do the same thing,” she said.

Unfortunately, while the Chicago Skyscraper duo managed to rise above the New York skyline, their season is officially over. The playoff hopes are gone. But this gives coach Marsh the perfect chance to experiment, tweak the system, and find what really works so they can build on it for next season.