The Chicago Sky Just Threw An Alley-Oop To Its Franchise Player’s Bullies

Everyone has had an opinion about Angel Reese, but she can’t share her own?

Angel Reese was suspended and did not play the first half of the game played this Sunday vs. the Aces. She also did not return to the lineup in the second half. The suspension was in response to Angel’s Chicago Tribune interview, which the organization should have approved before publication. Emotions were high online in response to this news from fans and critics. There were some voices that stood out more than others— Black women echoed the same sentiment of empathy with Reese, stating that what she’s experiencing publicly is what they have experienced privately. And of course, critics and bullies praised the Chicago Sky for its decision. What Angel Reese is experiencing with the Chicago Sky organization is very familiar to Black women navigating the workforce in everyday America when they share their perspectives or ask for additional support— whether it’s corporate, the medical field, or any other industry in general. 

Angel Was Publicly Criticized First By The Chicago Sky’s GM

Back on June 10, Jeff Pagliocca, the Chicago Sky GM publicly stated that they needed more from Angel Reese regarding her production in response to the losses that were piling up. He publicly offered some praise, but he did not shy away from the criticism. Angel took the criticism like a true professional, and when asked about it, she took accountability and stated that she must “diversify her offense.” It should not be lost on you that Angel’s feelings about the public criticism from her GM were not taken into consideration.

However, she kept her word, and it started to show with an increase in assists per game. She also recorded her first career triple-double in a win over the Sun on June 15, with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 assists. Angel seemed to have found her spark, but was briefly sidelined due to a leg injury before the All-Star break, and then she was out again with a back injury after. Did her injury have anything to do with her “over producing” to try to get her team in the win column? 

Stereotypes & Double Standards

Angel Reese is not above criticism; in fact, she handles the criticism well. Let’s be honest, she’s been the victim of unfair criticism with racial and sexist undertones online and in the media for a while now; yet she shows up like a true professional and puts in work. The Sky organization has not protected Angel from the racial harassment by the media that could be deemed detrimental to her mental health. But they did demand more from her, performance- wise. In return, when she asks for more from her teammates, the front office, and coaching staff she’s punished. However, she also advocated for her teammates and coaches in the article. She spoke like a franchise player who wants to bring a winning culture to the Chicago Sky.

Misogynoir must be a part of the conversation when understanding the public treatment of Angel Reese as it relates to the latest move by her team. A competitive athlete asked for what she needed to be successful at her job and faced scrutiny for it. Let’s be honest, we would not be having this discussion if Angel were a man or a White woman in sports. Black women’s competitiveness and confidence often draw biased punishment that is rooted in stereotypes and double standards.