For Angel Reese, winning games in the WNBA or scoring a double-double isn’t a major headache; it’s something far from the basketball court, in the media room that concerns her even more. This tension is nothing new, as Reese has long felt the media portrays her unfairly, and in her latest assessment, she revealed just how daunting facing reporters has become.

Speaking at Michelle Obama’s IMO podcast, Reese clearly laid out her equation with the media in the WNBA, stating that at times she’s even ready to get penalized before facing them in the room.

“I appreciate you guys for making this a safe space around me because, as you said, the media has not always been great to me,” Reese said. “I’ll catch a fine, especially in the WNBA. I’ll have a fine before I go to the media and feel like my back is against the wall.”

Ever since the tip-off of her rivalry with Caitlin Clark during her collegiate days with LSU, the media hasn’t been quite on the same lines with her and even portrayed her as a villain. The “You can’t see me” gesture Reese made toward Clark during the LSU-Iowa NCAA Championship games also drew criticism from media outlets, with some going so far as to call her “classless”.

Furthermore, in the WNBA, Reese faced a $1,000 fine for bunking a media session after a 71-70 defeat to Clark’s Indiana Fever. Criticism of her playing style has also been prominent in the media, with some outlets even calling her a player who just rebounds. Additionally, remember last year, when, in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, Reese made it clear to the media that she doesn’t trust them.

“‘I know how y’all like to twist my words, so I’m just keeping it short and sweet,” Reese had said. “I can’t trust any of y’all. So I’m just letting you know — short and sweet.” As a result of all these instances, Reese hasn’t been quite comfortable with the media.

This isn’t the first time, though, that Reese has shed light on her issue with the media. Speaking on her podcast last year, ChiBarbie echoed the same sentiment, remarking that she’s intensely afraid of how the media will turn on her or frame her words in a completely different context.

“Even before the game, I’m terrified of what the media is about to ask,” Reese had said. “It could be the nicest question, but it’s going to get flipped or put into a different light or a different perspective. It’s like, are you here intentionally to start mess or are you intentionally here to ask a question? It’s really tough for me, especially in the media, and it’s like, I don’t want to do an interview with anybody.”

Due to the scrutiny she has faced in the media, Angel Reese has also been quite reluctant to step into social media and address her haters. It’s a perfect example of the by-product of fame and success. And if you think this treatment against her is restricted to just the media, you’re wrong. Over the years, the netizens haven’t been kind to her either.

For instance, after Reese and LSU got the win over Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2023 NCAA Championship game, she was subjected to intense media scrutiny and cyberbullying. ChiBarbie even claimed that these haters were looking for her address and car, prompting her to change her whole lifestyle.

While all of it does put pressure on her at times and change her natural, outspoken persona, she has the perfect way to handle it.

Angel Reese Says Media Narrative Ain’t Enough to ‘Break’ Her

With so much media scrutiny, it’s a given that everything she does on the court will be a subject of sports columnists the next day. So the question arises: Does that hamper her interest in the game? After all, it’s her basketball endeavors that are the primary elements, and the fame just comes as a by-product of it. In the Michelle Obama podcast, Reese was asked about it, stating that none of this hatred and scrutiny can diminish her passion for the game.

“I don’t think anybody can dictate the love and joy or take that away from me,” Reese said. “I think I’ve been through so much at a pivotal time, like when I was winning so much, now like everything is a win to me. The small things are a win for me. So, I don’t even let the negativity get to me, like it doesn’t bother me. I’ve grown to where you can’t break me.”

And the stats perfectly add weight to Reese’s claim. Despite the increased media scrutiny against her, ChiBarbie has kept shining on the court. Two WNBA All-Stars, two-time WNBA Rebounding leader, are the testaments to her assessment. And now, after all these successes, Reese is in line to take the next step in her pro career. She is all set for her new team, the Atlanta Dream.

Reese has already bonded well with her new teammates, like Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard. She will suit up for the first time for Dream against her former team, the Chicago Sky, in a preseason game on April 29.