Angel Reese, the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky, was dealt to the Atlanta Dream earlier this month in a blockbuster trade. Reese was no stranger to headlines during her two-year tenure with the Sky, with things coming to a head when she was critical of Chicago’s roster during a mid-season interview with the Chicago Tribune, resulting in the franchise issuing her a suspension.
The two-time All-Star is determined not to repeat her past mistakes in Atlanta, even if it means fines from the league offices. She recently appeared on former First Lady Michelle Obama’s IMO podcast earlier this week and admitted she’d rather deal with fines than a contentious relationship with the media.
“The media has not always been great for me. And I’ll take a fine. I’ll catch a fine, especially in a WNBA. I’ll have a fine before I have to go to media and feel like my back is against the wall,” Reese told an approving Obama.
This isn’t the first time Reese has expressed this perspective. She skipped out on media exit interviews at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign and went on to state on her podcast, Unapologetically Angel, that when it came to talking to the media, she’d “rather take the fine sometimes rather than talking to the media because (what she says) always gets flipped.”
Former college basketball player Craig Robinson, Obama’s brother and the co-host of the podcast, likened sports media to reality television and applauded Reese for how she has navigated it.
“Sports is like reality TV. The media wants to manufacture some stuff. And I just want you to know that I noticed how you’ve handled yourself, and it has been absolutely with aplomb,” he said.
Reese’s career, stretching back to her college days with the LSU Tigers, has been the focal point of much media criticism and even racially charged scrutiny, especially regarding her rivalry with Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. She does, however, have spaces and people in the media where she feels comfortable.
“I get excited for certain people, like a Taylor [Rooks]. Certain people I know I can talk to,” she said on Unapologetically Angel, and extended the sentiment to Obama and Robinson.
“I don’t think anybody will ever understand [what I’ve been through]. I appreciate you guys for making this a safe space for me because, as you said, the media has not always been great for me.”
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