Angel Reese is an All-Star — and achieving the major milestone brought the WNBA star rookie to tears after the Chicago Sky game on Tuesday … calling out the doubters in the process!
The 6-foot-3 forward received the good news that she’d made the All-Star team after the Sky beat the Atlanta Dream on the road, 85-77.
The awesome moment comes after Reese was named June’s WNBA Rookie of the Month after setting a league record for consecutive double-doubles, so you can understand why she was overwhelmed with emotions.
“They just told me I’m an All-Star and I mean, I’m just so happy. I know the work I put in,” Reese cried at the press conference.
“Coming into this league, so many people doubted me and didn’t think my game would translate and I wouldn’t be the player that I was in college or better or would be worse and wouldn’t be where I am right now.”
Reese — the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft — also praised head coach Teresa Weatherspoon for her rookie season.
“She’s meant everything to me,” the 22-year-old said about coach Weatherspoon. “I’ve had amazing coaches in my career but this one is special.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been her teammate before, even at USA Basketball,” Clark said of linking up with Reese after the Indiana Fever game on Tuesday. “I know people will be really excited about it, but I hope it doesn’t take away from everyone else.”
“It will be fun for all of us.”
The All-Star teams are stacked with some of the best hoopers in the world, including Diana Taurasi, her 11th All-Star, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, DeWanna Bonner, Dearica Hamby, Kayla McBride, and Brittney Griner.
The WNBA All-Star festivities, which also include a three-point contest and skills challenge, are slated for July 20 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix … and expect it to be the most-watched ASG in league history!
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“A’ja Wilson Is The Real Star Of The WNBA, Not The Well-marketed Person Caitlin Clark” Draymond Green Is Going Against The Majority When He “Ironically” People “Flatter” Rookie Clark Too Much
The WNBA — and women’s sports as a whole — continues to see a significant uprise in popularity with each passing year.
But no rookie draft class has brought as many eyes as the 2024 class has, thanks to players such as Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese and, of course, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.
While Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green didn’t hesitate to give Clark and the rookie class their flowers for bringing a new light to the W, he believes the WNBA could’ve done the same with A’ja Wilson years ago and missed its opportunity to market off the Las Vegas Aces center. “I ain’t saying Caitlin Clark is the best thing since sliced bread. Quite frankly, if you want my opinion, that’s A’ja Wilson,” Green said on his “The Draymond Green Show” podcast. “The best thing since sliced bread in the WNBA is A’ja Wilson. I’m not necessarily in the mindset that it’s all Caitlin Clark, no, A’ja Wilson is great. Aja Wilson to me is the American dream. Coming from a two-parent household, grew, got better, young Black girl, had everything against her, beat the odds to become what soon will be known as the greatest player to ever grace the WNBA. That’s quite honestly my opinion.
“I think Aja Wilson is as marketable as anybody in the WNBA, but you have to figure out how to market the product. So I’m not going to sit up here and act like Caitlin Clark ain’t done nothing for the WNBA. That’s bulls-t, yes she has. She’s going to continue to. No, I’m not in the assumption that it’s only her. I think y’all got a gold mine in the WNBA sitting right there, marketable as anybody in A’Ja Wilson and haven’t figured out how to make it go. Ain’t A’Ja fault. A’Ja got a lot about her that is as marketable as can be.”
Wilson, 27, was selected No. 1 overall by Las Vegas in the 2018 WNBA Draft after starring at South Carolina. She averages 20.1 points on 49.1-percent shooting, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 blocks in 195 games over seven seasons.
The 6-foot-4 big leads the league in several categories this season, including rebounds per game, 2-point field goals and 2-point field goal attempts.
She won Rookie of the Year in 2018 and has been crowned the WNBA MVP twice as well as earning Defensive Player of the Year in two consecutive seasons.
And the two-time WNBA champ and 2020 Olympic gold medalist has shown no signs of slowing down, either, as she is averaging 26.5 points on 48.4-percent shooting, with 12.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.8 blocks in six games this season.
As great as Wilson has been on all surfaces, six years after she entered the league, it has been Clark’s effect that has drawn in a nationwide audience with record-breaking viewership. Clark’s welcome to the WNBA hasn’t been smooth sailing. After going No. 1 overall to Indiana, the star rookie is averaging 15.6 points on 35.7-percent from the field and just 29.7 from 3-point range, with 5.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists.
But the headlines surrounding her have gone beyond her production. Clark has been roughed up by opposing vets and called out in social media posts questioning what she brings to the WNBA
And while Green believes the W missed its marketing opportunity with Wilson, the league certainly has Clark and several other rookies to thank for bringing new fans to tune in. And whether that’s to watch Wilson dominate in the paint or Clark’s sharpshooting – they’re still watching. And that’s a win for everyone.
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VIDEO: Social Media Lip Readers Reveal What A Pissed Off Caitlin Clark Yelled At The Ref After Questionable Foul Call
Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has always been a fiery player on the court.
During the game against the Washington Mystics this week, she showed that fiery side during a play on offense.
Lip-readers think they uncovered what a clearly frustrated Caitlin Clark said during the matchup when Ariel Atkins fell backward into Aliyah Boston following Clark attempting to create space to receive the basketball.
Less than a week after Clark made history with the first-ever triple-double recorded by a rookie in WNBA history, the Indiana Fever star could be seen going off on a ref after she was called for a questionable foul.
Clark picked up an offensive foul for pushing off of a Mystics defender. However, as she walked back to her side of the court, Clark could be seen yelling at the referees about the call, as she appeared to tell them, “Don’t fall for that. No, you fell for it.”
She also called the opponent ‘soft.’
Clark ended the game with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, however, Indiana Fever lost to Washington 89-84, according to the New York Post.
The loss dropped the Fever to 9-14 on the year.
Caitlin Clark Battling Angel Reese For WNBA Rookie of the Year
Halfway through the WNBA season, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have already put together one of the greatest rookie campaigns in WNBA history.
Reese has recently gotten the Rookie of the Month Award for June and WNBA Player of the Week in Week 7.
Meanwhile, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark led all rookies in scoring (17.6 ppg), 3-pointers made (24), free throws made (42), assists (6.6 apg) and minutes played (33.0 mpg), per Yahoo Sports.
