It seems the Connecticut Sun are playing with a bit more grit and physicality than finesse lately. It was the second time a scuffle broke out during one of their games as a trio of players earned the boot Wednesday night after Maddy Westbeld’s 3-pointer did not go down. What should have been a straightforward play turned physical when Alex Hartley pushed Rebecca Allen, completely missing the ball altogether. Hartley and Allen got tangled up.
Atkins then came charging in, and everyone had to be separated by officials, coaches, and security personnel. Broadcast mics caught Atkins calling Hartley’s shove “unnecessary,” as Hartley insisted, “she pushed me first.” Atkins kept shouting at Hartley even while being hauled off by Sky security, with all three players ultimately sent off the court. However, three was too less for this Sky teammate as Elizabeth Williams revealed an on-court conversation with the referees.
Explaining to the media after the game, Williams continued, after Rachel Banham opined that Atkins shouldn’t have been ejected, “Yeah. because I asked for an explanation of like um if players leave the bench from the opposing team and apparently it’s a college rule that if they get on the court that it’s automatic ejection but in our league, she said, if they get off if they get on the court to deescalate, then it’s not an automatic ejection. So that was another explanation I got that I hadn’t. I didn’t know. So maybe like Rachel said, maybe if I watch it back, I’ll see something that I couldn’t see from the bench and it’ll be clearer.”
Many Sun players came onto the court during that fight, and Williams pointed out the rule that specifies they are to stick to the bench even during fights. Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith seem to have some experience with these rules. When LSU faced off against Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks with Sky’s Kamilla Cardoso, a similar brawl broke out, and multiple Carolina players stepped in from the bench. NCAA rules meant any player leaving the bench was instantly ejected. So when the final buzzer sounded, those players couldn’t even step onto the court to celebrate their team’s championship victory.
The WNBA has a similar rule. If there’s an altercation on the court, all players who are on the bench must remain in the vicinity of their bench. If they don’t, they’ll be suspended without pay for a minimum of one game. Plus, they’ll be fined, per league rules. And we have a case study to look at. In 2023, Sky forward Ruthy Hebard was suspended one game for leaving the bench area during an on-court altercation in the team’s win over the Dallas Wings. Apparently, that rule is subject to interpretation.
“We have a loose ball foul on Rebecca Allen, and then her and Bria Hartley get into an altercation that is deemed a fight. They’re both ejected from the game,” crew chief Kevin Fahy said on the broadcast. “Ariel Atkins also comes in as an instigator, and she has been ejected from the game.”
The referees have been the center of attention this season. Like Sophie Cunningham said, “I just hate the inconsistency.” Despite the players repeatedly calling them out, things have not changed. Some players have a favourable whistle, according to the fans. Some calls are missed, while other wrong calls are made. According to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, “As we go forward on the officiating, we hear the concerns. We take that employee input.” So far, little has changed, but we can always hold out hope that it will. However, with referees being a problem or not, the Sky have worse problems to contend with.
Has Angel Reese Given Up On Their Season?
Angel Reese has not played since July 29. Reese first appeared on the injury report after the All-Star break, playing only two games before her symptoms worsened. And it doesn’t sound like there’s any clear indication of when Reese will be making her return. A video on Monday showed Reese on the sideline, observing her teammates from a distance. Fans are waiting for an actual update on it as Marsh continues to say that she is “day to day”. However, according to this former broadcaster, she doesn’t intend to.
June 27, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) waits for play to resume in the second quarter against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Jason Whitlock said on his YouTube Channel, “I think she’s quit on the Chicago Sky. She’s been claiming a back injury basically since the All-Star break, and there’s no details. Every day, we hear that Angel Reese is day-to-day, and every week, there’s no update on what she is struggling with, what she’s doing. There’s nothing. There’s no information on Angel Reese. I think she’s quit on the season.”
It’s quite a statement, however, coach Tyler Marsh claims she wants to be back as soon as possible, saying in their latest update, “She wants to be out there. She’s a competitor, she’s a fighter, and a winner,” Marsh told reporters. However, the Sky have been extremely poor this year. They are 8-24 after 32 games and are not looking any better after their Connecticut Sun loss.
The mid-game brawl hampered their morale and in-game situation even further. There seems to be no way forward for the Sky, and Reese’s absence only makes things worse. We don’t know if the management has fallen out with Reese or not. No evidence points in that direction, and there have been multiple ambiguous injury reports of many teams this season. It is mostly because they let the player recover in peace and do not give the media and the opponents any details on the injury. The Sky needs her back as soon as possible to salvage the rest of their season, like Coach Marsh wants to.
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