Tomi Lahren used Angel Reese’s pre-game fit to make a point about the rest of the WNBA. The Fox News analyst criticized Reese’s fashion statement before Game 5 of the Finals, then brought Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark into it. What could have stayed a style critique turned into a league-wide conversation about who gets held to what standard.
The stakes on Monday were incredibly high, with the Dream and Valkyries tied 2-2 in a pivotal Game 5. Reese took the floor needing a major bounce-back performance after logging just eight points and nine rebounds in a Game 4 loss. But following a gritty 64-55 defeat for Atlanta, for one analyst, Reese’s tunnel walk also stood out.
“It’s weird because I’m pretty sure it’s been the black women of the WNBA who have beaten up on Clark and Cunningham all season….,” Lahren wrote in an X post.
The post also featured a video clip of Reese making her way to the arena in the tunnel, wearing a black shirt that read “Protect Black Women” written in yellow letters.
Lahren is perhaps referring to several instances this season that have seen hard, physical play against Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham.
But beyond the box scores and playoff pressure, Reese’s journey in the W has seen her navigate this issue before as well. Since making her WNBA debut in 2024, she has been strikingly open about the barrage of online abuse, including vitriolic racist attacks, that she has faced while in the public eye.
“Y’all know I’ve been going through this for the last two years but was told ‘save the tears’ and ‘stop playing victim,'” Reese said, back in 2024. “Y’all a little late to the party and could have tried to put out this fire way before it started.”
The league, taking cognizance of this issue at the time, released a strong statement afterwards.
“The WNBA is a competitive league with some of the most elite athletes in the world,” the statement read. “While we welcome a growing fan base, the WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments made about players, teams and anyone affiliated with the league. League security is actively monitoring threat-related activity and will work directly with teams and arenas to take appropriate measures, to include involving law enforcement, as necessary.”
Earlier this season, in July, Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello was suspended for one game and fined after referring to Reese as a “protected species.” While Brondello later apologized to Reese, the issue generated quite the controversy at the time.
A section of fans and media believe that Lahren’s comments are based on actual instances of physicality against Clark and Cunningham this season.
Caitlin Clark And Sophie Cunningham Have Been At The Receiving End Of Physical Play This Season
Officiating in the league has been under criticism all season. The WNBA has tightened its officiating standards around freedom of movement to crack down on physical play, defensive holding, arm wraps, and jersey grabs. But the league has come under criticism for inconsistency in foul calls.
Back in June, in the second quarter of a wild 111-109 Mercury win over the Fever, there was a massive scramble for a loose ball. Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas ended up with her fist pressed right against Caitlin Clark’s throat in the middle of the pile-up.
The on-court officials did not call a foul on the floor. However, following a post-game review, the WNBA upgraded the play to a Flagrant Foul 2 and handed Alyssa Thomas a one-game suspension.
Then, on August 8, Chicago Sky’s DiJonai Carrington was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected during the first quarter for a hard foul against Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever after hitting Cunningham across the face and neck on a fast-break layup.
The WNBA currently stands at a historic crossroads. By every measurable metric, from sold-out arenas to lucrative endorsement deals to players commanding the mainstream cultural narratives, the league is riding a massive wave of positive momentum.
Yet, this rise is being tested by a darker undercurrent. When internal divisions and racial hostility dominate the discourse, healthy, sustainable growth becomes incredibly difficult, threatening to fracture the foundation of a league finally capturing the spotlight it deserves.