Angel Reese: Rising Star or Social Media Firestarter?

After a tough loss to the Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese is once again dominating headlines – but not just for her performance on the court.

The WNBA season is underway, and the Chicago Sky’s opening game couldn’t have been rougher – a 93-58 blowout loss to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. But while the scoreboard told one story, social media was busy writing another.

At the center of it all is Angel Reese, a player known as much for her unfiltered personality as her game. During the match, a physical but routine foul on Clark sparked online debates, which quickly escalated into unproven allegations of racism, fueled in part by a TikTok video Reese reshared. The clip referenced Clark as a “white gyal running from the fade” – slang for avoiding a confrontation – triggering another wave of media scrutiny.

Rather than addressing the controversy publicly or shifting focus to basketball, Reese doubled down on TikTok with a series of provocative videos. One featured her lip-syncing to lyrics about making “b*tches mad from scratch,” while another showed her dancing in a sports bra. For some, it was confidence and self-expression. For others, it was a distraction after a brutal loss.

Critics have been quick to question her focus, arguing that Reese is more invested in viral moments than in helping her team improve. Supporters, however, see a young athlete navigating intense public pressure while refusing to tone herself down to fit a media mold.

There’s no denying that Reese is a force – both on and off the court. She’s unapologetically herself in a league that’s rapidly growing in visibility and personality. But with eyes now watching her every move, the question remains: will Angel Reese embrace the role of a WNBA superstar, or let controversy define her early career?

The Sky face the New York Liberty this Thursday – another opportunity for Reese to shift the narrative back to basketball.