Angel Reese Claims Refereeing Shifted in WNBA Finals Loss

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese has voiced her dissatisfaction with the officiating in the WNBA Finals, asserting that the calls have shifted unfavorably for her team. The comments come after the Dream suffered consecutive losses to the Golden State Valkyries, putting them in a 3-2 series deficit.

"So, yeah, it definitely shifted. When we went up 2-1 and things shifted," Reese said following the 64-55 loss in Game 5. "And I don’t know what happened, but it definitely took a big turn."

Reese, who scored seven points and grabbed 15 rebounds in Game 5, shot 2 of 8 from the field and attempted a series-low four free throws. Her coach, Karl Smesko, supported her assessment, stating that the contact allowed on Reese compared to other players is "ridiculous."

"And we should have gone to the foul line six to eight more times just on that," Smesko added.

The momentum of the Finals appeared to turn after the Dream's dominant Game 3 victory, which gave them a 2-1 series lead. In that game, Reese had taunted the Valkyries for their inability to stop her. However, following the subsequent losses in Games 4 and 5, Reese has become more vocal about her perceived struggles with the referees.

Throughout the first two games of the series, Reese attempted a total of 18 free throws, making 7 in Game 1 and 11 in Game 2. She then had only five attempts in the Game 3 win. In Game 4, she attempted six free throws, scoring eight points and nine rebounds in a 67-62 loss. Her scoring and free throw attempts have continued to decline in Game 5.

Reese recalled a specific incident in Game 4 where she believed Gabby Williams fouled her, and players from both teams were yelling for a foul, but the referees did not make a call. "I know I have the mismatch, especially we were talking about matchups, so when I do switch on the post, I’m a lot stronger than the opponent," Reese explained. "I should be able to turn and they are calling an offensive foul, but I’m getting pushed before that. So that is frustrating for sure."

While Reese acknowledged she is accustomed to physical play from the regular season, she expressed frustration with the referees' response. She claimed officials have told players they will address such situations "next time" but have not followed through.

Despite the team's current predicament, Reese remains optimistic about their chances of winning the franchise's first championship.

"Like right now, 3-2, our backs are against the wall but when we get to go home and play in front of our home crowd again and being to get a couple of days rest and get back to Atlanta Dream basketball, I think we feel good about ourselves and everybody in the locker room is dialed into to who we are," she said. "As long as we are all on the same page, we can do it. We still believe in the locker room that we can do it."