Angel Reese earned the first ejection of her WNBA career Tuesday as the Chicago Sky lost to the New York Liberty, 88-75, at Wintrust Arena.
Reese earned two technical fouls during a dead ball after she was called for a personal foul on Jonquel Jones with two minutes and 31 seconds remaining in the game. Referee Charles Watson assessed an initial technical foul after being “disrespectfully addressed” by Reese, said lead official Maj Forsberg, who spoke to the media after the game. Following the initial technical call, Forsberg said Reese “waved off the calling official in resentment to the call,” which earned a second technical foul and the automatic ejection.
Forsberg declined to elaborate on the content of the comment that earned Reese the initial technical foul. Reese had not received a warning prior to the ejection. Per league policy, she will be fined $200 for each technical foul.
Coach Teresa Weatherspoon said the officiating crew declined to explain the decision to the Sky coaching staff.
“I tried to get an explanation and I did not,” Weatherspoon said during her postgame news conference. “I don’t know at this moment what has happened.”
Reese had provided a crucial anchor for the Sky on both ends of the court, tallying 13 points, 10 rebounds and a block before the ejection with 2:31 remaining. The Sky were trailing by 11 points when the ejection occurred despite erasing a 17-point deficit in the first half and leading by three points in the second quarter.
Chicago Bulls players Lonzo Ball, Dalen Terry and Patrick Williams were seated courtside directly in front of the ejection and voiced their own complaints with the call.
“Ref that threw out (Angel Reese) is weak,” Ball wrote on social media. “You know who you are. (Keep ya money Angel I got you).”
Reese responded to Ball’s post with emojis and the words “appreciate you gang!”
appreciate you gang! https://t.co/Aupf0jJU6N
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) June 5, 2024
Breanna Stewart scored a season-high 33 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Liberty. Sabrina Ionescu added 24 points for New York, which won their fourth-straight game.
New York opened the game on a 21-6 run after making five of its first seven 3-pointers, while the Sky started 3 of 16 from the field. The Sky responded by scoring 33 points in the second quarter to get within 49-48 at the break.
The Liberty started the fourth quarter on a 15-2 run, including 10 straight points, to extend their lead to 80-68.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton added 14 points for the Liberty, which avenged a 90-81 loss to the Sky on May 23.
Chennedy Carter scored 16 points while Marina Mabrey had 15 and Elizabeth Williams had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Sky.
Kamilla Cardoso, who scored 11 points in her WNBA debut on Saturday, was held to one point in 12 minutes. She is still on a minutes restriction following her return from injury.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
