Retour
Angel Reese made a layup, flexed toward the opposing Golden State Valkyries bench, and clapped at her rivals as she pursued her first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history with the Atlanta Dream.
Some corners of WNBA social media found Reese’s post-bucket celebration over-the-top, disrespectful, and harder to stomach than Valkyries fans dealing with the Dream dragging the Finals to a seventh game.
Reese caught heat for her and-one celebration after critics trashed the foul call and took shots at her jumper. The Dream still won 80-69, and Reese stacked another playoff double-double on her resume while making even more history.
The exact moment came with 5:41 left in the first quarter after Reese took a pass from Allisha Gray, drove through contact from Kiah Stokes and finished at the basket.
She spun to the Valkyries bench, clapped, and let the trash talk fly as the crowd roared. Reese knocked down the free throw to push the Dream's lead to 11- 5 and set the tone for the comeback.
The internet pounced right away, with fans screaming that the game was rigged and the league handed Atlanta’s star every phantom whistle she wanted.
One viewer complained, "Ohh look a made up foul for Angel," while another claimed the league was "rigged," as she completed the three-point play. Others targeted her skills rather than the celebration.
Another user on X called her "AWFUL and painful to watch," while another pointed to her five makes on 18 field-goal attempts and five fouls as reasons to hate on her performance.
Reese shot just 5-for-18 and coughed up six turnovers. Focusing on those numbers alone misses her 14 rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a block.
Reese also hit twice from three-point range including a timely fourth-quarter bucket that stretched Atlanta's lead to 19.
Her passing set up early three-pointers for Gray and Naz Hillmon, and she assisted Gray again in the final minute. Gray led Atlanta with 23 points and five made threes, while Rhyne Howard scored 21.
The Dream shot 43 percent from deep as Golden State managed just 31 percent overall, despite Gabby Williams' 26-point effort.
Reese’s fiery personality has drawn heat since she battled and defeated Caitlin Clark for a college title in 2023.
She's been called out by players for being "dangerous," and by fans for flopping, "stat padding, and simply being outspoken while playing on the court.
Now she’s dragged the Dream into a Halloween Game 7 at Chase Center, with a chance to become the first top-10 pick from the acclaimed 2024 WNBA Draft class to win a championship.