Angel Reese Greets Terence Crawford at Alvarez Fight as Chicago Sky Dispute Lingers

Angel Reese greeted Terence Crawford in his locker room before Crawford’s highly anticipated bout with Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, posing for a photo that circulated on social platforms as the two prepared for the undisputed middleweight title fight.

The encounter came as Reese remains at the center of a dispute with her WNBA team, the Chicago Sky. Reese was suspended for one half of a game after comments she made to the Chicago Tribune that the team said were “detrimental to the team.” In the Tribune interview, Reese said she would not be “settling for the same s–t we did this year,” and acknowledged she might do “what’s best for me” if conditions did not change. After the suspension she did not appear in the Sky’s final three games; the team listed her as out with a back injury.

Sky head coach Jeff Pagliocca described Reese as “an ascending young talent in this league who’s had two very, very good seasons here in Chicago,” and said the organization had “closed the chapter” on the matter. “She spoke to her teammates. She spoke publicly. We moved on as a team,” Pagliocca said. “She’s a special player. And I have good conversations with Angel daily, with her team daily. They’re constant, and they’re productive.”

The photo of Reese and Crawford drew attention because of the contrast in their roles — Reese as a WNBA star and public figure, and Crawford as a veteran boxer who moved up three weight classes for the match against Alvarez. The fight, which was part of a block of events promoted as Turki Alalshikh’s “Riyadh Season,” was streamed live on Netflix and featured two fighters who have been near the top of pound-for-pound lists in recent years.

Reese’s presence at the Las Vegas bout underscored her national profile beyond the WNBA, where the Sky have been navigating roster and public-relations issues this season. Team officials listed her injury status publicly but also addressed the disciplinary action and public comments in statements to reporters. Pagliocca’s remarks framed the matter as resolved for the team, while acknowledging ongoing communication between the coach and the player.

Reese’s suspension and subsequent absence from the final games of the season remain the most recent public developments in the dispute. The Sky did not list additional disciplinary measures in their publicly available statements, and team officials emphasized conversations with Reese and her representatives. The locker-room photograph with Crawford provided a high-profile image of Reese amid an unresolved team situation and a prominent international sporting event.