During Saturday’s WNBA game, Dallas Wings’ NaLyssa Smith and Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese engaged in a heated verbal exchange that quickly captured fans’ attention. The incident unfolded with just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after Reese fouled Smith, resulting in Smith stepping out of bounds and triggering the confrontation. Following the foul, Reese disputed the call with the referee, and Smith appeared to provoke her as she walked by, leading Reese to respond before teammates intervened.
Players Penalized Amid Rising Tensions
Both Smith and Reese were assessed technical fouls for their roles in the confrontation, reflecting the referees’ attempt to control escalating emotions during the close contest. The incident quickly went viral online, fueled in part by Angel Reese’s polarizing reputation. Fans reacted strongly, offering a range of opinions from criticism to humor about the players’ behavior and on-court performance.
“It doesn’t take long for things of this nature to go viral, especially if a polarizing figure like Angel Reese is in the mix.”
—(Unattributed fan comment)
NaLyssa Smith Delivers a Standout Performance
Despite the distraction of the altercation, NaLyssa Smith recorded her best game of the season, scoring a season-high 20 points on six-of-twelve shooting and successfully converting seven of ten trips to the free throw line. Angel Reese contributed 14 points and nine rebounds but shot only 30.8 percent from the field, though she was perfect from the line, hitting all six free throws.
Smith’s strong effort helped the Dallas Wings compete effectively in the frontcourt against the Sky, who were missing key rookie Paige Bueckers due to a concussion. However, Chicago’s backcourt, led by Ariel Atkins (26 points), Courtney Vandersloot (15 points), and Kia Nurse (11 points), outperformed Dallas’s guards, resulting in a 94-83 win for the Sky.
Impact of the Altercation and What Lies Ahead
The physical and verbal confrontation between NaLyssa Smith and Angel Reese added tension to an already competitive game, highlighting the intensity of their rivalry following Reese’s previous clash with Caitlin Clark. The Wings’ loss was marked by the absence of Bueckers, whose playmaking and scoring presence could have changed the outcome. This incident now fuels the ongoing narrative around these players and their teams as the season continues, with fans eager to see how this rivalry evolves in upcoming matchups.