Angel Reese greets Terence Crawford before Canelo Alvarez bout amid Chicago Sky saga

Angel Reese visited Terence Crawford in his locker room Saturday ahead of Crawford’s highly anticipated fight against Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, posing for a photograph that circulated on social media.

The bout, held Sept. 13 as part of Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season and streamed on Netflix, was for Alvarez’s undisputed middleweight title. Crawford moved up three weight classes for the matchup; both fighters have occupied top spots on pound-for-pound lists in recent years.

Reese’s appearance at the event drew attention because of an ongoing dispute with her WNBA team, the Chicago Sky. The forward was suspended for one half of a game after comments she made to the Chicago Tribune that the team deemed "detrimental to the team." In that 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 the situation did not change. After the suspension, Reese did not play in the Sky’s final three regular-season games; the team listed her as sidelined with a back injury.

Sky head coach Jeff Pagliocca said the organization had tried to move beyond the episode. "Angel is an ascending young talent in this league who’s had two very, very good seasons here in Chicago," Pagliocca said. "Obviously, we went through what we did. I feel like we closed the chapter on it. She spoke to her teammates. She spoke publicly. We moved on as a team. She’s a special player. And I have good conversations with Angel daily, with her team daily. They’re constant, and they’re productive."

Reese’s attendance at a marquee boxing event underscores her growing profile beyond the WNBA. The photograph of Reese and Crawford, which shows a notable height contrast between the two, circulated as fans and media noted the crossover moment between a prominent women’s basketball figure and one of boxing’s top names.

There was no immediate comment from the Sky on Reese’s roster status following the game, and the team has not announced any further discipline. Pagliocca’s remarks indicated internal discussions have continued, and the coach framed the matter as addressed for the time being.

The Crawford-Alvarez fight offered a global stage where athletes and celebrities from other sports often appear. For Reese, the public appearance came amid a period of scrutiny in Chicago; for the Sky, it left open questions about how the team will proceed with a player who has been both a rising on-court talent and a source of recent controversy.