There doesn’t seem time when Angel Reese was not involved in any controversy. It’s not entirely her fault, either, as she is the center of the conversation when it comes to the WNBA. It all started when legend Candace Parker put her in the C-Tier in her tierlist, where she justified by saying, “I put her right at that C level. I think in terms of being above, you have to be able to have the ability to carry your team, be a one or two option.” Parker did praise her rebounding and mentioned that she had improved this season. 

Even after a pretty centric response, she received hate from Reese’s fans. She further attempted to clarify in the “Post Moves” podcast with Aliyah Boston. She then went on to name the other nine players in the tier ranking, which is where the original clip began. “What player are you taking Angel Reese over, of the ones that I just listed? This is no disrespect, these are some of the greatest players in the game right now. They asked me to rank the tier right now.” 

Parker stood by her take, even with the hate, and the Reese fanclub remains livid with her, claiming that she is running an agenda. Reese herself sent a cryptic message on her X writing, “clout is one helluva DRUG. like it really gets to a point.” However, this long-time national broadcaster and analyst has come out with a straightforward message for Angel Reese and her fans. 

He quoted the clip from ‘Post Moves’ podcast and wrote, “One can disagree but Candace Parker is simply giving a basketball take. This type of stuff is endless on the NBA side, and no one cries.”

Parker did maintain that there wasn’t anything personal behind that take, saying, “We have to come to a place in women’s basketball where we can critique without being a hater. I in no way, shape, or form am a hater.” Honesty is one of the core aspects of Parker’s punditry or opinions, she is unfiltered, much like Reese. The argument must remain around the game and the game without any overreactions. 

NBA pundits such as Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith are infamous for providing provocative, sometimes polarizing takes on superstars like LeBron James, Draymond Green, or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And they call these players so much worse. Bayless called LeBron a “phony GOAT and the king of Phony Baloney” earlier this year. 

In the NBA media, no player is safe from sharp critiques or biting labels.ESPN’s Doris Burke didn’t hesitate to call someone like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a “free throw merchant” on national TV, spotlighting every perceived flaw. “There’s a reason NBA Twitter likes to call him ‘The Free Throw Merchant,’” Burke said midway through the first quarter of their game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Even Magic has directly called out current players for a lack of intensity and current NBA training techniques.

Tier lists from major outlets like The Athletic set off firestorms of debate, igniting fanbases. But that’s the character of NBA discourse: a vibrant clash of facts, hot takes, and bold opinions, where every voice gets its say. Instead of silencing controversy, the league thrives on it, making criticism just another part of the show. The WNBA is not accustomed to such heated debates, which often lead to intense and emotional reactions from fans. 

Fans could dissect Parker’s arguments point by point. If her reasoning doesn’t hold up, the conversation will shift, and Parker might very well own up to any mistakes. So, let’s cut through the noise and settle the debate: looking at it through a truly neutral lens, does Angel Reese really belong in the C tier? Let’s break it down.

Does Angel Reese Really Belong In The C Tier?

Angel Reese is one of the most popular players in the league. Her fanbase is incredibly passionate and defends her against every sour word. Let’s look at things a little objectively, if Reese belongs in the C-Tier of WNBA players currently, or Parker’s argument has any holes. The now broadcaster and analyst made her evaluation criteria clear: to be ranked above C-tier, a player must carry a team as a top-scoring or leadership option. 

Let’s consider that as our base. Reese is currently the best scorer for the Sky at 14.2 points per game, but that wasn’t always the case this season, as Ariel Atkins had that top spot for the majority of the time. But Reese’s ascension there marks a tick mark in that aspect. The forwards’ rebounding has been top-notch, always being the best on both ends of the court at 3.9 offensive rebounds and 8.7 defensive rebounds per game. 

For Parker, she credited Reese for playing with toughness and having that “dog” in her, but accentuated her lack of scoring at times in the post. From 5-9 feet, Reese is on the mark for 49.7% of the time, which is among the worst in the league. Moving away from the basket, the numbers become worse as from 5-9 feet, she shoots at 34.5%. To Reese’s credit, her assist numbers have improved with 3.6 assists per game, which is the fifth best among forwards. With more time on the ball, her turnovers have also increased to 3.9 per game. 

Another part Reese falls behind is that she has failed to “carry” her team to results. The Sky is currently 7-19 after 26 games are almost always out of contention for the playoffs. Last season, Reese and Co. finished with a 13-27 record. She is still their most important player, but even with her, the Sky have failed to get results. In that sense, Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale, who are in the B Tier for Parker, have an 8-20 record for the Dallas Wings, which makes a case for Reese to be in that same tier. However, both have better scoring statistics than Reese, which puts them at an advantage. Adding to that, the Sky wanted to “win now” while the Wings were in a complete rebuilding mode. 

Sure, Angel Reese has her flaws, and there’s a case to put her in the B-Tier. But at the end of the day, everyone, yes, even legends like Candace Parker, brings their own preferences and biases into these rankings. Takes like Parker’s, whether you agree or not, light a fire under WNBA conversations and help the fandom evolve. It might sting, it might stir the pot, but that’s what grows both the game and its culture. Healthy debate isn’t just good for women’s basketball, it’s what keeps it moving forward.