"Angel Reese Calls Out WNBA Referees in Epic Rant: Is the Universe Also Against Her?"
Added on October 27, 2026 inFree CelebrityNews, Sports
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WNBA star Angel Reese found herself on the losing side after her team succumbed to the Golden State Valkyries in Game 5 of the finals, and boy, did she have some thoughts on the officiating! It’s almost as if the stars aligned for drama on the court—Mercury in retrograde might’ve been a factor in that lack of foul calls! In a postgame press conference, a clearly frustrated Reese alongside her head coach, Karl Smesko, expressed their discontent with the referees’ inconsistent calls that muddied the game. With the stakes as high as they are, how much longer can they play through the frustration of uncalled fouls before it all boils over? As the playoffs heat up, Reese’s fiery comments certainly add to the narrative. Will the tides turn for her and the Atlanta Dream in the next game?
WNBA star Angel Reese slammed the referees after her team lost by nine points to the Golden State Valkyries in Game 5 of the finals.
Speaking with the media, Angel Reese and her head coach, Karl Smesko, voiced frustration that the officials weren’t consistent, leading to uncalled fouls and further struggles on the hardwood.
According to Wilton C. Jackson II, Reese finished the night with seven points on eight shot attempts, a sharp drop from her Game 2 and Game 3 performances, when she scored 30 and 21 points, respectively.
In the last two games, Reese has been off offensively, struggling to finish at the rim while playing against Kiah Stokes.
While Stokes is a great defender, her defense hasn’t been 100% clean, as instant replays show Stokes and other Valkyries players, like Veronica Burton and Gabby Williams, repeatedly fouling Reese and her Dream teammates.
Reese acknowledged the physicality in her postgame presser and said she’s still learning how to play through the challenges before calling out the referees.
“I mean, a lot of us are getting fouled, and they’re not calling it, or we’re talking to the [referee] after, and they’re saying, ‘Oh, we’ll get you next time.’ So, it is a little frustrating, especially in the moment of it,” she said.
That’s not all Reese had to say about her team’s disappointing loss to the Valkyries. Reese told the media she wasn’t surprised she or her teammates weren’t getting the right calls.
“I mean, I’m kind of used to it because this was happening throughout the [WNBA] season. So, I have to just continue to play through it,” she said.
“But honestly, for my teammates, when they’re getting slapped to the ground or goggles knocked off, like it is frustrating and trying to keep them in and keep them confident. But yeah, we’ll figure it out. We’re gonna have to just continue to push through the physicality, and hopefully, it goes our way next game,” she added.
Reese wasn’t the only one to speak about officiating inconsistencies. Karl Smesko, head coach of the Atlanta Dream, also discussed the lack of calls and called the contact on Reese “ridiculous.”
He added, “And we should have gone to the foul line six to eight more times just on that and then to miss double dribbles and travels, multiple that always led to points? Man, you can’t be at this level and make that many mistakes. I’m kind of tired of some of the excuses that I’m hearing.”
Following last night’s loss, the Valkyries take a 3-2 lead over Reese and the Atlanta Dream. Now, the teams depart San Francisco to gear up for Game 6 at 12:30 PM in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, October 29.
Game 6 is crucial for both teams. The Valkyries could close out the series with a win, becoming the first expansion team to win a title in just two years.
The Dream could also fight back on their home court, win, and tie the series 3-3, pushing it to Game 7 on October 31.
“I still believe in our team. I still believe that we can win this, one game at a time… It’s not going to rain too much longer for us,” Reese said to the media.
Reese has people cheering her on, including Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers, who told the media she’s rooting for her “close friend,” Reese.
“I’m really happy for her,” Bueckers said, per The Blast. “We’re great competitors, people who just want the best for each other. We’ve stayed in contact.”
“Just wishing her the best, talking to her, talking basketball, talking hoops, so to see her thrive on the biggest stage, she deserves it. She works for it. Really happy for her,” Bueckers continued.
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