Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham has publicly defended Angel Reese, saying she was "not surprised" by the Atlanta Dream star's visible frustration during the WNBA Finals. Reese faced scrutiny for her body language after appearing to disengage from a play in Game 2, with video footage of the incident circulating online.
Cunningham addressed the criticism on her podcast, "No Hesitation," suggesting that such displays of emotion are common for highly competitive athletes playing at the championship level. "You could probably clip almost everybody in the WNBA, in the NBA, that has [the frustration] clips like this," Cunningham stated, adding that it's a natural consequence of high-stakes competition.
Reese, a former LSU standout, had helped lead the Dream to an early 2-1 series lead against the Golden State Valkyries with three consecutive double-doubles. However, the series was tied at 2-2 following a Game 4 loss where Reese was limited to eight points on 2-of-12 shooting.
Despite acknowledging that Reese's body language could have been improved, Cunningham emphasized its potential to galvanize a team. "If your team's not getting you the damn ball, then if you see one of your star players getting frustrated, getting pissed off, then it's like, 'Oh, you know, they're not messing around. We need to get her the damn ball,"' Cunningham explained. She believes the coaching staff and teammates recognized the intensity.
Reese herself commented on her Game 4 performance, admitting she rushed shots and did not finish around the basket as effectively as in previous games. "It happens and I'm just looking forward to the next game and just do it," she said.
Golden State center Kiah Stokes acknowledged the defensive challenge Reese presents, stating her goal was to make every shot attempt difficult. "She's been the head of their snake all series, so for me it was just trying to make every look that she had of the basket difficult," Stokes said. "It's a tough job, but I think being our best defensive big, I've got to own up to that challenge."