Suspension Fear Looms Over Angel Reese as WNBA Fans Show Strong Referee Criticism Amid Sky vs Lynx

After the last controversial officiating incident, the Chicago Sky and Angel Reese returned to action against the Minnesota Lynx this Tuesday. And yes—Reese was back with the squad after missing time prior to the All-Star break due to a leg injury, which head coach Tyler Marsh had described as a “precautionary matter.” While many expected her to slow down a bit—especially after recording 6 points and 9 rebounds during the All-Star Game—that’s not what happened. Instead, the Chicago Sky star came out fuming against the Lynx, and fans couldn’t help but take notice.

Reese returned to the lineup after starting all 22 games she’d been active for during her sophomore WNBA season. And though she ended the night with a solid double-double—11 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists—that etched her name in history as the only player to ever record multiple streaks of 10+ double-doubles, it wasn’t what stole the spotlight.

What did? Reese earned her seventh technical foul of the season.

That’s right. And while that may lead to a fine from the WNBA, she narrowly avoided suspension—at least for now. Due to the league’s expanded 44-game schedule, a suspension is now triggered after eight technical fouls instead of seven. Which means, Reese is just one tech away from being automatically assessed a one-game suspension from the league.

But why did she get it? Well, it came down to Reese’s latest disagreement with the referees—a recurring theme this season. And it’s hard to ignore her overall contributions, as she’s averaging 14.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. So, you can see why the moment went viral right after the game. But this time, the reaction in the comments section was different. It was one in support of the Sky forward Why? Because this time, the Chi-Town Barbie seemed to be the victim of an ongoing problem with league officiating.

WNBA draws heat as fans demand fairness with Angel Reese…

When fans came across Angel Reese’s seventh technical, they couldn’t help but drive into the comment section calling out WNBA players’ mutual concern. As one fan put it: “Refs are awful in the WNBA.” And honestly, that fan isn’t alone. Nearly every player in the league has raised concerns about the officiating this season—complaining about missed calls, inconsistent whistle blowing, and questionable decisions.

Remember when Caitlin Clark was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul during the season opener against Reese? Many agreed it was a “just a basketball play,” but the refs weren’t of the same opinion. Not only was it called a flagrant but Reese received her first tech and Aliyah Boston, too, for merely jumping in to stop any escalation.

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Reese is a fouling machine with her lack of finesse style she instead lowers her shoulder into every opponent on...more

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“Maybe the refs should just do their job properly and call fouls,” another fan wrote.

And this isn’t the first time Reese has been on the receiving end of questionable officiating. In the July 6th outing—also against the Minnesota Lynx, Maryland native openly criticized the refs for missed calls, particularly for the lack of free throws and uncalled contact inside. She even reposted a close-up photo of what appeared to be a waist grab that wasn’t whistled, calling the non-call “diabolical” and expressing zero concern about getting fined.

And she’s not alone in that frustration. Even Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White addressed the issue, saying:
“The disrespect [by the referees] for our team, right now, has been pretty unbelievable. So it’s disappointing that it doesn’t go both ways, or it hasn’t gone both ways.” It’s not just Reese or Clark, because from Plum Dawg showing visible frustration to AB questioning calls, especially when identical plays were treated differently for her and Brittney Griner, the opponent had been the same.

Well, Washington Mystics center Queen Egbo summed it up best: “The problem that a lot of us have with the referees is it’s either very physical and they are calling everything or they’re missing calls. There seems to be inconsistencies in how the referees are calling certain games…”

So, you understand the outrage when Reese picked up her seventh tech and fans started writing things like: “SHE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING. Tyler better talk to the league.” And none of this was surprising. On July 6th, Reese had already said: “And I don’t give a damn if I get fined because that s— is cheap, and I’m tired of this s—. ’Cause I’ve been nice and I’ve been humble with it but I am tired of this s—.” Clearly, she meant it, because when she entered the game against the Lynx, she already had six technicals this season.

Just five days after her first tech, on May 22, during a game against the Liberty, the Sky star picked another. The details, however, remain limited. On May 31, tensions flared once more when Reese and NaLyssa Smith were hit with double technicals after a hard foul and fiery exchange. That wasn’t the worst—on June 15, Reese received another double technical following a confrontation with Shakira Austin during a physical game against the Mystics.

She was then handed a solo technical on June 29 in a matchup against the Los Angeles Sparks. Then again on July 8, she clashed with Austin once more and picked up yet another tech. And now, after the Lynx game, she stands at seven technicals overall—putting her at the top of the W for techs and one away from automatic suspension. “Refs are soft,” one opined, while another echoed “Leagues out to get her… Such a soft call.”

Regardless, now all eyes are on Reese. Will she dial it back? Or will she keep playing with the same fire that’s fueled her rise, but now sits one tech away from suspension?