Angel Reese ejected during Chicago Sky’s loss to New York Liberty
(CNN) — Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese was ejected late in the fourth quarter of her team’s 88-75 defeat by the New York Liberty on Tuesday after receiving back-to-back technical fouls.
Reese earned her first technical after she appeared to say something to referee Charles Watson following a foul call, before being hit with the second for waving her hand as she walked away.
The WNBA pool report states Reese received the technical fouls for “disrespectfully” addressing the official and then for waiving off the referee “in resentment to the call.”
“She said something to the ref,” Sky guard Marina Mabrey told reporters. “Whatever he felt like was the correct call is what he made. It’s more about composure for us in our young years in the WNBA.
“You’ve got to get to know refs and how they respond to things.”
Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon said she “tried to get an explanation” from the officials for the ejection, but “did not” get one.
“I don’t know to this moment what has happened,” she told reporters.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball seemingly offered to pay Reese’s fine.
“Ref that threw out @Reese10Angel is weak btw… You know who you are (Keep ya money Angel I got you),” Ball wrote on X.
“Appreciate you gang!” Reese replied.
Reese finished the Commissioner’s Cup game with 13 points and 10 rebounds but shot 25% from the field.
Breanna Stewart had a huge game for the Liberty, putting up a game high 33 points to go with 14 rebounds and three assists.
It was the first game the Sky had played since Chennedy Carter was given a flagrant foul for a bump on Clark during a stoppage in play.
The WNBA’s ‘turning point’?
Meanwhile, tennis great Billie Jean King likened Clark’s impact on WNBA to that of Chris Evert’s on women’s tennis back in the 1970s.
King said the current rookie class “has a chance to set this league on fire.”
“As great as the WNBA has been, with amazing stars like Maya Moore, Sheryl Swoopes, Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, among others, this year is a turning point, and it’s because of Caitlin,” she told USA Today in an interview with Christine Brennan.
“Breaking the college records, everyone wearing the No. 22 jerseys. Things are going good for the WNBA, for women’s sports. They are amazing for everyone with all these sellouts and all this interest and we’ve got to keep that going now.
“Whether you like it or not, Caitlin is the reason for so much of this interest,” added King. “She’s a superstar. When she does well, everyone does better. The league is going to do better. The veterans were the building blocks and now Caitlin and this rookie class have this incredible platform to take the league to an entirely new place.”