Chicago Sky to Bench Angel Reese for First Half After Remarks Deemed ‘Detrimental to the Team’
The suspension for the two-time All-Star is separate from a one-game ban she served after accumulating eight technical fouls
The Chicago Sky announced Friday that forward Angel Reese will be benched for the first half of Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces after the team determined comments she made were "detrimental to the team."
The half-game suspension is separate from a one-game penalty Reese served Friday night after being assessed her eighth technical foul of the season in Wednesday’s game against the Connecticut Sun. Under WNBA rules, an eighth technical foul automatically triggers a one-game suspension.
Reese, a two-time WNBA All-Star and the Sky’s highest-profile player, missed Friday’s matchup against the Indiana Fever as a result of the league-mandated suspension. Chicago lost that game by 20 points and fell to 10-31 on the season.
The team did not provide further details about the specific remarks that prompted the additional internal discipline, but media reports cited comments Reese made to the Chicago Tribune in which she said she "might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best." The Sky characterized her statements as harming the team’s cohesion and decided on the short benching as an internal corrective measure.
Reese was assessed the eighth technical foul during the Wednesday game in Connecticut, which under league policy automatically carries a one-game suspension. That suspension was enforced for the Sky’s Friday contest. The Sky’s subsequent decision to withhold her for the first half on Sunday is an independent team-imposed punishment, the organization said in a statement released Friday.
The timing adds to uncertainty around a franchise already struggling in the standings. Chicago has struggled to find consistent on-court success this season, and the front office and coaching staff have been navigating disciplinary and personnel issues as the campaign progresses. Reese has been a central figure for the franchise since joining the Sky, and her availability has been a focal point in recent games.
The Sky will meet the defending Aces on Sunday with Reese unavailable for the opening 20 minutes. The team has not announced additional disciplinary steps or whether further statements from Reese or management are expected before the game.
Reese’s absence for the entire first half is likely to affect Chicago’s rotation and game plan against a Las Vegas team that ranks among the WNBA leaders in offensive and defensive efficiency. The league-mandated suspension and the team-imposed benching illustrate how on-court conduct and off-court comments can carry immediate competitive consequences in the WNBA.
The Chicago Sky and Reese did not provide additional comment beyond the team’s Friday announcement. The Sky’s next game after Sunday’s matchup will be determined by the remainder of the league schedule; both the team and the player are operating under ongoing review of conduct and disciplinary measures as the season continues.
