“I mean, I was playing like s— in the beginning,” were Angel Reese’s own words at halftime. It was her unfiltered self-assessment after she shot just 3-of-10 from the field for a 30 percent conversion rate. She did contribute to an aggressive 17-4 run to close the second quarter, adding seven points during that stretch. Unfortunately, the overall efficiency numbers were difficult to defend, and most fans watching considered them exactly as poor as Reese herself acknowledged.
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That context made what followed on the ESPN Ally WNBA Halftime Show all the more notable. The entire analysis crew, Malika Andrews, Monica McNutt, Chiney Ogwumike, and Andraya Carter, dedicated a substantial portion of their segment to praising Reese’s impact on the game.
“Angel Reese in particular, her energy shifted. I thought when she got some of those easy baskets to go in the paint, that’s when you saw this defense begin to pick up its energy, this Dream squad to begin to play with a little more confidence,” Monica McNutt said in a clip shared by Brick Center.
Chiney Ogwumike, picking up from McNutt, also said, “That energy is contagious because if you look at Angel Reese, she already has seven and nine; she’s already getting close to a double-double.”
In fact, Ogwumike described her as “part of the catalyst that changed things around” for the Atlanta Dream. Andraya Carter even suggested that Reese’s missed layups were a positive signal, because Reese was getting to those positions in the first place.
All four halftime analysts spent the majority of the segment effectively celebrating Reese despite a first half she herself had described in profoundly unflattering terms. And that drew immediate and pointed criticism from fans who felt the coverage reflected bias rather than honest analysis.
“Need a complete overhaul of these commentators. If the game is going to grow, they need to stop celebrating underperformance,” one fan wrote.
Meanwhile, one compared them to famous NFL commentator John Madden and his constant praise for Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, saying, “Good God! You guys are worse than Madden was about Brett Favre! Get it together ESPN!”
Some fans even found the entire dynamic simply baffling, unable to reconcile what they were watching on the court with what they were hearing from the desk.
“Why do they keep talking her up like she is making a difference? Reese is awful, and they know that,” one fan wrote. “I don’t get it. Why do they think she’s so awesome?” added another, echoing the same sentiment.
And the fact that Angel Reese ended up missing a layup that could have won the Dream the game didn’t help the criticism, as fans were also quick to point it out.
“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Are you kidding me. She literally missed the last shot of the game to win it, she is the reason they lost. She finished like she started,” one fan wrote.
“Then missed the easiest game-winner layup in her life 😂 clown show 🤡,” added another.
Like they pointed out, Reese did miss a putback layup with seconds remaining and the score at 81-81 in regulation. Had she converted that, the Atlanta Dream would have won the game 83-81 in regulation.