Is Angel Reese Banned From WNBA? Truth Behind Chicago Sky Star’s Suspension Revealed

When it rains, it pours. That statement perfectly fits Angel Reese’s past couple of days. Chicago Sky fans were left reeling this weekend when the All-Star forward found herself benched for a game ahead under eyebrow-raising circumstances. Not for her play, but her words. And it all began with a candid interview— the Chi-town Barbie opened Pandora’s box when she made a public outcry about the gaps in her team.

“I’m not settling for the same s**t we did this year. We have to get good players.” With these words, Reese raised concerns about the leadership and the ability to lead a playoff roster of her fellow teammates, such as Courtney Vandersloot and Hailey Van Lith. She also expressed that head coach Tyler Marsh needed to coach harder. The result?

The Chicago Sky imposed a half-game ban on Angel Reese, calling her “statements detrimental to the team.” Due to this, Chi-town Barbie will miss out on the first half of the game against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday. This totals her ban to one and a half games, as she missed the Fever game for surpassing the technical foul limit. “This matter has been handled and resolved internally, and we are moving forward as a team,” the Chicago Sky said in a statement on X.

The move may come as a little unexpected, given that the young forward had issued an apology and Marsh had expressed, “everyone is entitled to feel how they feel.” However, Reese’s words seem to have stung deep enough to dismiss the matter with a single team meeting. During the interview, the Chi-Town Barbie hadn’t hesitated to speak her mind, not just about the front office decisions, but her’s as well.

She made it clear she’s ready to put everything on the line. But also expects the same commitment from both her teammates and the organization. Otherwise, as she bluntly put it, she is prepared to “move in a different direction and do what’s best for me.” The remarks may sound cutting, yet they reflect a deeper frustration from a player who has been carrying the Sky all season. A two-time All-Star, Reese isn’t just making noise off the court. She leads the entire league with 12.6 rebounds per game, owns 23 double-doubles in 30, and tops her team in scoring with 14.7 points per outing while also sharing the lead in assists at 3.7.

Angel Reese is by far the best player on her team. But the facilities she has complained about stay subpar. Don’t take Reese’s word on it? Other WNBA players feel the same. In an anonymous poll conducted, the players who have played with Chicago or played against them in games rated them as the worst franchise. The Sky team currently practices in a shared rec center. They do have a $38 million practice facility under construction, but it has hit multiple delays.“You guys saw the Rec that we practice at. I don’t think anybody wants to practice there,” Reese said earlier, slamming the Chicago front office.

However, since this public outcry, Reese has backtracked on her words, claiming that they were “taken out of context.” The All-Star forward said after the Connecticut game, “I really didn’t intentionally mean to put down my teammates, because they’ve been through this with me throughout the whole year. I want to apologize to my teammates, which I already have about the article and how it was misconstrued about what was said.”

Unfortunately, her apology was not enough. Even Sky’s head coach, Tyler Marsh, publicly shot down the claims laid out by their star player.

Tyler Marsh on damage control over Angel Reese’s comments

The Chicago head coach was more than just coaching players during the Connecticut game. He was also dousing the fires lit by his All-Star forward. Marsh quickly dismissed several of Reese’s complaints. On her call for stronger teammates, he insisted, “We have really good people here.” When asked about her push for better facilities, he pointed out that upgrades are already underway. “I think that pretty soon every organization is going to be able to provide some sort of amenity. Whether it’s in the frame of a practice facility or whatever, this league is going to get to a point where the players rightfully deserve,” he said.

Marsh also dismissed the criticism that Chicago is the worst team in the league. He said he doesn’t put much stock into polls. For him, the only answer is to show results on the court. He suggested that the best people to ask about the team’s progress are the players themselves. According to him, “there are some who appreciate what we’ve got going on here and what the vision is moving forward.”

While Marsh may feel differently, the reality is that Sky has failed to capitalize on the potential of the sport-loving city of Chicago. Around 80-90% of locals root for a major team, yet only 14% name the Sky as their favorite. Compare that to the Bears at 57%, Bulls at 53%, or Cubs at 49%. With little backing from fans, teammates, or even management, Reese’s frustration feels inevitable. Her return won’t come until the second half against Las Vegas on September 7.