Angel Reese is being fined by WNBA and it's not for celebrating teammate's bodycheck of Caitlin Clark

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: The Chicago Sky organization and Angel Reese were slapped with fines following the 71-70 loss to the Indiana Fever on Saturday, June 1. 

The WNBA announced that it fined Reese $1,000 because she did not make herself available to the media following the loss, as per Fox News. Additionally, her team was fined $5,000 because it did not ensure its players complied with the league's media rules.

Angel Reese cheered after Sky teammate Chennedy Carter hip-checked Caitlin Clark

Reese and Caitlin Clark's first professional WNBA game was widely anticipated following their famed collegiate showdowns, but it was sadly marred by a contentious harsh foul.

Sky guard Chennedy Carter received the foul after she hip-checked Clark at the conclusion of the third quarter while the latter was waiting for an inbound pass after a score by the former.

Following the foul, Reese got up from the bench and applauded.

The foul, which was declared a common foul during the game was upgraded to a flagrant-1 violation after the league reviewed the play. 

The Chicago Sky player became a household name after LSU’s 2023 national championship win over Clark’s Iowa squad, as pointed to her ring finger and mocked Clark’s use of WWE star John Cena's "You can’t see me" hand gesture.

Reese said there wasn't any genuine animosity between her and Clark before their rematch in the Elite Eight this year.

"I don’t think people realize it’s not personal. Once we get out between those lines, if I see you walking down the street, it’s like, ‘Hey, girl, what’s up? Let’s hang out,'" said the Chicago Sky Forward. as per the New York Post. 

She added, "I think people just take it like we hate each other. Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It’s just a super-competitive game. Once I get between those lines, there’s no friends. I’m going to talk trash to you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game, we can kick it. I don’t think people really realize that."

"That’s fine. I’ll take the villain role. I’ll take the hit for it, but I know we’re growing women’s basketball. If this is the way we’re going to do it, then this is the way we’re going to do it. You either like it or you don’t," further remarked Resse. 

Reese was selected by the Sky as the No 7 pick in this year's WNBA draft, following which she signed a four-year rookie contract worth $343,000.

Through seven games, her average is 10.6 points and 8.9 rebounds.

Angel Reese faces criticism for cheering after her teammate hip-checked Caitlin Clark

A netizen wrote, "Absolutely correct," and another said, "People like Reese never learn from their mistakes, or the behavior of others, as they are too busy identifying with an ideology."

"Clark is showing Reese and others what sportsmanship and class looks like in action - they would be wise to learn from her," wrote a person, while someone else added, "Well it’s obvious that her jealousy for Caitlin runs deep and is intimidated by her talent playing ability."

"The officials of that game need to be fined also. They looked at the review and didn't take the correct action," offered an individual. 

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