Angel Reese has never been shy about making a statement, on or off the court. And before Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Monday night, she made one with her outfit.
The Atlanta Dream star arrived at Chase Center in San Francisco wearing a T-shirt that read “Protect Black Women.” Reese didn’t explain the message, but it didn’t take long for it to spark a reaction online, especially from conservative commentators.
Reese’s Message
Reese’s arrival was captured in a clip shared by the WNBA and reposted by OutKick’s Dan Zaksheske. The shirt drew plenty of attention among the people Reese was almost certainly targeting for a reaction.
OutKick’s Ryan Gaydos wrote that the shirt “adds to overall strangeness of WNBA Finals,” and said it was “unclear what the shirt was referencing or if it was a general statement.”
“I think a ‘Protect White Straight Women’ t-shirt would be more appropriate after everything that’s happened to Caitlin Clark & Sophie Cunningham,” wrote Jon Root of OutKick.
A Familiar Fight
Reese has been open about the abuse she has faced since entering the league in 2024, including racist attacks online.
She said back then that she had “been going through this for the last two years,” and accused the media of having “benefited from my pain” to “create a narrative,” via Bleacher Report.
“Something has to change,” Reese said at the time.
The scrutiny hasn’t let up in her third season. Reese was traded from the Chicago Sky to the Dream before the season and has helped lead Atlanta to the Finals, but she’s also been at the center of plenty of criticism, from her on-court frustration to her trash talk throughout the series.
Dream Go Down 3-2
Unfortunately for Reese, the night didn’t end well. The Valkyries won Game 5 by a final score of 64-55 to take a 3-2 series lead, putting Golden State one win away from its first championship.
Reese finished with seven points, 15 rebounds, and five assists, while Rhyne Howard led Atlanta with 20 points.
The series now shifts back to Atlanta for Game 6, where the Dream will need a win to force a Game 7.
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