Seems like WNBA officials are tightening up foul calls this season. In a scrappy matchup between the Golden State Valkyries and the Chicago Sky that ended in a 78–83 win for the Valkyries, Angel Reese was assessed a flagrant foul for a play even the commentators argued didn’t warrant such a harsh penalty. A routine battle in the paint turned into a moment of controversy. The paint’s always been a jungle—but did Reese really deserve the league’s sharpest whistle?
The incident unfolded with 3:35 left in the first quarter. Kayla Thornton—who was the game’s leading scorer at the time with seven points—went diving for a loose ball near the sideline alongside Reese. In the scramble, Reese’s hand caught Thornton in the face, sending her crashing to the floor while clutching her cheek. Officials reviewed the play and upgraded the contact to a flagrant 1, even though it appeared incidental, with Reese clearly trying to save the ball from going out of bounds.
Bay Area reporter Kenzo Fukuda reported the call live on X:
Officials upgraded the foul by Angel Reese on Kayla Thornton to a flagrant. https://t.co/XSEFN7lyBe
— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) June 28, 2025
it was a confusing call one that even left Commentator Jacob Tobey telling fellw commentator Morgan Ragan, “Again, to you and me both, Morgan—nothing flagrant or malicious about it.”
However the call stuck and although it didn’t send Reese to the bench immediately, it marked her second foul of the quarter, adding early tension to a game where the Sky could ill afford to lose her presence. Head coach Tyler Marsh was visibly frustrated and questioned referee Jenna Reneau about her decision. With Kamilla Cardoso away on Olympic duty for Brazil and Courtney Vandersloot out for the season, Reese’s role in Chicago’s frontcourt isn’t just important—it’s vital.
To her credit, Reese responded like a pro. She finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds—six of them offensive—in yet another gritty double-double. While she’s struggled with efficiency this season, shooting just 38.5% from the field, her relentlessness on the boards remains a bright spot in an otherwise turbulent Sky campaign.
Thornton, who recovered and returned to the game, poured in a game-high 29 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including four threes and nine free throws. But the moment that halted play and sparked debate wasn’t about stats—it was about judgment. The Valkyries came away with their eighth win of the season, handing the Sky their 11th loss, but the controversy outlasted the scoreboard.
This isn’t the first time the league’s foul interpretations have faced scrutiny this season. On June 18, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever had a heated exchange with Marina Mabrey and the Connecticut Sun. Even back in the season opener on May 17, Clark and Reese found themselves in a similarly tense moment.
Reese, no stranger to physical play or the spotlight, will shake it off and keep grinding—because that’s what she does. But for a league still learning how to balance player safety with the spirit of competition, this was another reminder: the line between fair and flagrant is still being drawn.
Why Reese Got the Flagrant
But it’s not hard to see why the officials slapped Angel Reese with a flagrant 1. Her reputation in the paint isn’t exactly spotless, and that history tends to follow you. Just ask anyone who watched the Sky-Liberty clash back on June 11. Reese laid a hard blindside screen on Leonie Fiebich during transition—originally whistled as a personal foul, but later upgraded to a flagrant 1. ESPN’s Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobo publicly disagreed with the call, labeling it a common foul. Still, once that flagrant label sticks, it’s hard to shake.
May 17, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) fouls Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Even earlier in the season, during the now-infamous May 17 opener, Reese and Caitlin Clark found themselves in a tense collision course. That game saw both players receive upgraded fouls—Reese for a physical play in the post, Clark for swiping Reese across the arms on a rebound. Reese’s fiery reaction drew a technical. Afterward, she shrugged it off: “A basketball play.” But the moment went viral, and from then on, every whistle involving Reese seemed louder.
So yes, maybe this most recent call shouldn’t have been a flagrant. The contact with Thornton looked incidental. But when coaches like Stephanie White and Becky Hammon are publicly pleading for tighter officiating—and players like Kelsey Plum are echoing the same—the referees are going to respond. Add in fan scrutiny, prior flare-ups, and a spotlight that never dims, and suddenly, a simple hustle play becomes a statement whistle.
Was it really a flagrant 1? Probably not. But given the context, it’s not exactly surprising.
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