Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese was involved in a physical play during her team's 104-69 win against the Connecticut Sun on Thursday night. In the second quarter, as Reese attempted a layup while being double-teamed, Connecticut Sun player Aaliyah Edwards' hand struck Reese in the face and head area. The play resulted in Edwards being assessed a Flagrant 1 foul.
Following the incident, Edwards fell to the floor behind Reese. Reese turned and appeared to shout at Edwards, and was later seen on the sideline indicating she had been hit in the neck. The foul was reviewed and subsequently upgraded. The Atlanta Dream did not address the foul in their postgame press conference.
The game also presented shooting challenges for Reese. She missed 10 of her 13 shots, finishing with eight points and two turnovers. However, she contributed significantly on the boards, tallying 15 rebounds.
Earlier in the game, Reese had a shot blocked by Sun player Brittney Griner, who went on to block two more of Reese's attempts. Reese later responded with several blocks and a steal against Griner, a sequence highlighted by the Dream on social media.
This season has seen an increase in notable hard contact incidents in the WNBA. This includes Phoenix Mercury player Alyssa Thomas' foul on Caitlin Clark in June, where Clark was hit in the throat, and a recent incident where DiJonai Carrington of the Connecticut Sun struck Sophie Cunningham of the Dallas Wings in the face. These events have contributed to ongoing discussions about physical play in the league.
Reese is scheduled to represent Team USA at the FIBA Women's World Cup in Germany, which begins after the WNBA's break.