WASHINGTON — Angel Reese has officially joined the conversation around WNBA officiating.
After the Sky lost 80-75 to the Lynx Sunday night, Reese didn’t hold back.
“That has to be fixed,” she said of the officiating. “I don’t give a damn if I get fined, because that [expletive] cheap. I am tired of the [expletive]. Because I’ve been nice and I’ve been humble with it, but I’m tired of the [expletive].”
The Sky shot only eight free throws at Target Center despite outscoring the Lynx in the paint.
Later that night, Reese reposted a photo of a Lynx player grabbing her waist during a rebound with the caption: “diabolical.” She also tagged the WNBA in a clip from her postgame comments, adding: “idgaf. DO BETTER.”
diabolical. https://t.co/37mPKM7HO2
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) July 7, 2025
Whistles — or the lack thereof — are sparking debate around the league this season. Sparks star Kelsey Plum and Fever coach Stephanie White have both complained publicly that too much physicality goes unchecked. During a televised interview mid-game, Dream center Brittney Griner told a referee to “be [expletive] better.”
Behind the scenes, frustration has been simmering for a while. Napheesa Collier, vice president of the players union, said she’s tried to talk to Commissioner Cathy Engelbert about inconsistent officiating many times.
What can be done? Maybe not much. The Washington Post’s Kareem Copeland reported Engelbert doesn’t view officiating as a major issue, but did highlight some structural problems. While NBA officials are salaried and work year-round, WNBA officials are paid per game and often make more officiating college games.
The Ringer’s Seerat Sohi lamented that a portion of the recent expansion fees won’t be used to improve referee compensation, which could improve quality.
Until now, Reese hadn’t spoken much on the subject, apart from noting she tries to finish through contact because she doesn’t expect a whistle. But her frustration has shown. During a game against the Sun, forward Bria Hartley pulled Reese’s hair going for a rebound, triggering a brief confrontation between the teams.
Even her mild-mannered coach, Tyler Marsh, acknowledged the officiating after Sunday’s loss.
“I think we’re top two in the league in shots at the rim, but in the bottom three or four in terms of getting to the free-throw line,” Marsh said. “The reason for that I’m not sure, but I know that Kamilla, Elizabeth and Angel receive a lot of contact down there. That is a little frustrating.”
In theory, a team that plays through the paint should get to the line more often. But that hasn’t been the case for the Sky. Reese takes 8.3 shots at the rim per game — second-most in the league — but averages just 4.4 free throws, down from her rookie year and only 13th overall.
The Sky have been playing much better basketball as of late though, with Reese at the center of it. She just became the first player in WNBA history to record five straight games with 15 or more rebounds. She’s also improved her efficiency around the rim to 52% in the last five games, up from 32% in the month of May.
But after an extremely poor start to the season, the Sky face a steep climb at 5-12 to make a serious playoff push.
