It was a cold night in Chicago, and the Sky’s home debut turned into a storm they couldn’t weather. The Liberty rained down a WNBA-record 19 threes in a 99-74 blowout. But amid the wreckage, all eyes turned to Angel Reese—whose career-worst game was reflected by her own coach’s post-game comments. “Double-edged” doesn’t quite cover it. Marsh’s pregame comments offered support—but they now cut both ways.
After the demolition, Tyler Marsh tried to ease pressure on his star center. When asked what was preventing Reese from finding her offensive rhythm after a rough opener, he said:
“I think it was just… some of them were just rushed on this. I mean, that was really it… But I mean, Angel knows that we have confidence in her… It’s not going to be often that we have a ton of nights like this.”
But then again, this is a second “night like” the one against the Fever— but only worse.
Against New York, Reese shot 0-for-8 from the field, 2-of-6 from the line, and committed five of the team’s 23 turnovers. It marked the first time in 136 games—college or pro—that she failed to make a single field goal. That streak stretched back to 2021. Even her 12 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass, couldn’t disguise a glaring absence: points.
The message from Marsh now rings hollow, or perhaps heavier. He defended her, yes—but he also acknowledged the root of the problem: rushed decisions, lack of execution. “It’s just a matter of doing it,” Marsh said. And now? Reese couldn’t.
This unraveling comes days after the bruising loss to Indiana, where Caitlin Clark’s hard foul on Reese triggered a flagrant and sparked tensions. Reese was vocal about the WNBA’s subsequent investigation into racial abuse from fans, telling reporters:
“There’s no place in the league for that… Being a part of an organization that really supports me and loves me is something I just couldn’t imagine not being a part of.”
That love was on full display from the stands Thursday night. Fans in No. 5 jerseys shouted encouragement, held up prom invites, and defended Reese to anyone who’d listen. But support, while emotionally powerful, can’t fix stat sheets.
The Liberty exposed Chicago’s weak spots. Despite Marsh’s effort to spread the floor and open the paint for Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, the team shot just 36.2% overall. Vandersloot, Allen, and Banham carried the scoring load, while Reese’s presence in the post produced groans with every missed layup. At one point, a technical foul on Reese stalled the team’s best run of the night.
Postgame, Marsh didn’t lash out—he looked inward. “Three weeks and two games together, it’s tough to be a championship caliber team,” he admitted. “ And so we want to play consistent sky basketball for 40 minutes game to game.” But with Reese, consistency is still a theory, not a reality.
Pundits like Nick Wright have already sharpened their critiques. “Right now, Angel Reese is a world-renowned rebounder—and little more,” he said earlier this week. After another no-show on offense, that assessment stings a little less like a hot take and a little more like fact.
There’s no denying Reese’s toughness. She has weathered social media storms, on-court clashes, and racial abuse with composure. But as we all know, rebounds are second chances. But how many second chances can one player get before it’s no longer the timing, or the system—but the shot itself?
Cam Newton Comes to Angel Reese’s Defense Amid Controversy
But while many are criticizing Angel Reese, a fierce chorus of support is rising in her defense—champions who see beyond the headlines and the heat of the moment. Cam Newton stepped into the conversation not just to comment on a foul, but to unpack the deeper layers of identity and perception fueling the controversy.
Credit- Imagn
Newton challenged Robert Griffin III’s claim on X that “Angel Reese hates Caitlin Clark,” pointing out that Griffin’s perspective is shaped by his own life—particularly his interracial marriage. “You cannot speak on something that you didn’t marry,” Newton said bluntly on 4th&1, explaining how public opinion often questions Black men’s credibility when discussing Black women if their personal lives don’t align with certain narratives.
These comments backed up Ryan Clark’s tweet that slammed Griffin for lacking insight into what Black women endure, framing the debate as more than a sports rivalry—it’s a cultural clash over race, gender, and authenticity.
Amid all this noise, Angel is focused on her own path, letting her story speak for itself. Just days ago, she celebrated her brother Julian Reese’s graduation from the University of Maryland—a testament to a family bond forged through adversity and a shared drive for excellence.
That excellence is exactly what Angel needs to show to silence her critics once and for all. The good news? She’s not alone. From Lisa Leslie to other WNBA superstars she’s connected with on her podcast, support is there—she just needs to lean in and elevate her game to match Caitlin Clark shot for shot, block for block.
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