Angel Reese slammed the job the league did in officiating the Chicago Sky’s loss to the Minnesota Lynx, stating it was ‘diabolical’ how inconsistent the referees have been this season
Angel Reese had some choice words for the referees about how she was officiated during the Chicago Sky’s loss to the Minnesota Lynx(Image: Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images)
Angel Reese did not hold back on how she was officiated in the Chicago Sky’s 80-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday night.
How games are being officiated in the WNBA have been a topic of conversation as of late, with Reese receiving a technical foul against the Los Angeles Sparks and Sky head coach Tyler Marsh criticizing how fouls are called. Sparks star Azura Stevens made mention of how there is no consistency around the league, leading to mass confusion among players.
Despite the risk of a fine, the Sky star forward made it clear how she felt about referees constantly missing calls. On X, a fan posted a picture of Lynx star Bridget Carleton fighting Reese for a rebound, with the former’s left arm wrapped around the latter’s waist in an attempt to gain leverage.
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Reese replied to the post with a one-word answer: “diabolical.” Replying to another fan who claimed the 23-year-old was set for a fine after criticizing the officials, Reese directly called out the league for the job it’s done so far this season, writing: “idgaf. DO BETTER. @WNBA.”
What made Reese mad is the league’s inconsistent officiating this season. Leading up to the fourth quarter, the Sky had only shot one free-throw for the entire game, while the Lynx had shot six of their own.
In the final quarter, Minnesota went to the free-throw line 11 times, compared to Chicago’s seven trips to the stripe. Speaking to reporters after the game, Reese spoke on how difficult it was for the Sky to try to play their game despite the massive inconsistencies in officiating.
Reese was livid that opposing players were able to hold her down as she attempted to play on(Image: Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)
“Yeah, I think we fought really hard,” she said after the loss. “It’s tough when you talk to officials, and I ask them, ‘Hey, we only shot 2 free throws. We’ve only been to the free throw line twice up into the 4th quarter,’ and she tells me, ‘It’s not her job.’
“So I know it’s frustrating because I know how hard we’re battling inside, and I think that we came down and fought as hard as we could with what we had.
“I just know we continue to grow in this. And I think this is a leaping step for us. And obviously we know we can compete with the best, but that has to be fixed, and I don’t give a damn if I get fined, because that s— cheap, and I am tired of the s—, because I’ve been nice, and I’ve been humble with it. But I am tired of the s—.”
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It wasn’t just Reese who was critical of how the Sky were officiated against the Lynx and how the team has been officiated throughout the season. Marsh, Chicago’s head coach, explained to reporters how it baffled him to see his team shoot so few free throws despite having two premier paint players.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s hard to imagine that we would only have eight free throws with the amount of opportunities that we have in the paint,” Marsh began after the five-point loss.
“I think that we’re top 2 or 3 in the league in terms of shots at the rim, but in the bottom three or four in the league, in terms of getting to the free-throw line, and the reason for that, I’m not sure.
“But I know that [Kamilla Cardoso] and [Elizabeth Williams] and Angel receive a lot of contact down there and have a lot of opportunities to be at the rim. And that’s kind of how we play as a team, and for us to not get to the line more than that is a little frustrating.”