Angel Reese suspended by WNBA after picking up 8th technical foul

Reese picked up her eighth technical foul for the season on Wednesday during the Sky’s 88-64 victory over the Connecticut Sun.

Chicago Sky basketball star Angel Reese has been suspended after hitting the WNBA’s limit on technical fouls, the league announced on Thursday. As a result, fans will not see the 23-year-old power forward on the court as the Sky takes on the Indiana Fever on Friday.

Reese picked up her eighth technical foul for the season on Wednesday during the Sky’s 88-64 victory over the Connecticut Sun. Referee Randy Richardson concluded that the two-time WNBA All-Star’s arm hit the Sun’s Aaliyah Edwards in the head after the ball went into the basket, according to CBS Sports.

“Any contact to the head like that, we’ll just take a look at that for potential, just for the severity of the contact. We think it was just an unsportsmanlike act,” said Richardson after the call was made.

The previous limit for technical fouls was seven but was increased to eight this season. For every two additional technical fouls received, the player or coach will be automatically suspended for an additional game.

Reese will be able to return to the season on Sunday, Sept. 7, when the Chicago Sky face the Las Vegas Aces.

The one-game suspension of Reese, who was drafted to the WNBA in 2024, comes after she recently issued an apology to her Chicago Sky teammates for criticisms she made during an interview with the Chicago Tribune.

“We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me,” said Reese in reaction to the Chicago Sky’s 10-30 season record. She continued, “I’m willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that’s what I’m going to do this offseason. So it’s going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can’t settle for what we have this year.”

Reese later clarified that she did not intend to “put down” her teammates and that her words were “misconstrued” and “taken out of context.”

“I have to be better with my language becasue I know it’s not the message, it’s the messenger, and understanding that what I say can be taken any kind of way and I just have to really be better and grow from this,” said the WNBA superstar.