Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese has once again found herself at the center of WNBA controversy. The rookie-turned-rising star picked up her eighth technical foul of the 2025 season last night, triggering the league’s automatic one-game suspension rule.

The incident unfolded late in the third quarter of the Sky’s matchup, when Reese appeared to smack Washington Mystics rookie Aaliyah Edwards during a heated battle under the rim. Officials quickly assessed a technical foul, adding to Reese’s already league-leading tally.

Edwards Fires Back

After the game, Edwards didn’t hold back when asked about the altercation.

“Angel Reese has been a dirty player since college,” Edwards said bluntly. “Last night she showed us who she is again.”

Her sharp words reignited a debate that has followed Reese since her LSU days — is she simply a physical competitor, or does her fiery style cross the line?

Sky star Angel Reese picks up 8th technical foul of 2025 season, triggering automatic 1-game suspension after smacking Aaliyah Edwards.

Angel Reese has reached the WNBA’s technical foul limit. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
 (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Barring a reversal of course by the WNBA, Angel Reese will miss the Chicago Sky’s next game.

The Sky star picked up her eighth technical foul of the season Wednesday, triggering an automatic one-game suspension without pay from the WNBA unless the league rescinds the foul. Reese entered the game with a WNBA-high seven techs.

The fateful eighth came in the Sky’s 88-64 blowout win over the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena. Reese picked it up just before halftime when she smacked Aaliyah Edwards in the head while they were fighting for position for a rebound in the paint.

The technical foul limit was previously seven in a season, which the WNBA bumped up after expanding the season to 44 games in 2025. Reese will also face a suspension for every two techs she picks up for the rest of the regular season.

Fouls aside, it’s been a strong season for Reese after her record-setting rookie year, earning her second career All-Star nod. She recently became the first player in WNBA history to post multiple double-double streaks of 10 games or more, despite being in only her second season. The technical came just after Reese spoke out about the state of the franchise, and hinted that she’d be fine leaving for another team if given the opportunity.

“I’m not settling for the same s*** we did this year,” Reese said earlier Wednesday. “We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me.

“I’m willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that’s what I’m going to do this offseason. So it’s going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can’t settle for what we have this year.”

The year has been less of a success for the Sky overall, to say the least.

They took a 42-27 lead over the Sun at halftime. Reese had nine points and six rebounds at the break. The team then cruised in the second half to the 24-point win, which brought Chicago to 10-31 this year.

Reese had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Sky, though she shot 4-of-12 from the field. Kamilla Cardoso added 16 points and five rebounds, and Kia Nurse finished with 12 points off the bench. Tina Charles led the Sun with 19 points, and Saniya Rivers finished with 16 off the bench. They were the only two Sun players to hit double figures.

Angel Reese ‘frustrated’ with herself over interview critical of Chicago Sky

Angel Reese puts Chicago Sky on notice after another dismal season: ‘I’m not settling for the same s*** we did this year’

Where things stand with Caitlin Clark as Fever cling to playoff spot with 3 games left in regular season

Assuming Reese’s suspension holds, she’ll be out of commission for the Sky’s game against the Indiana Fever on Friday.

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese demands a re-ranking after Caitlin Clark is named Athlete of the Year, questioning, “Zero votes for Angel Reese? Are you serious?”

Reese Speaks Out: “Zero Vote for Angel Reese? Are You Kidding Me?”

Reese didn’t hold back in her response to being left off the ballot. Taking to social media, the Chicago Sky star expressed her outrage, posting, “Zero vote for Angel Reese? Are you kidding me? Someone paid the judges for sure.”

This candid and fiery remark immediately drew attention, sparking widespread debate across social media and the broader sports community.

Her comments are a clear indication of the frustration that many female athletes experience in their quest for recognition.

Reese’s call for re-ranking and her suggestion of foul play reveal a deep dissatisfaction with the way women’s sports are treated and the biases that still persist in sports media and voting systems.

For Reese, it’s not just about the award itself—it’s about fairness and visibility for women in sports.

“How can someone like me, who led their team to a national championship and was named MOP of the Final Four, get zero votes?” Reese questioned in a follow-up post. “It’s not just about me—it’s about the respect that female athletes deserve.”

Matt Barnes, 2017 NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, hit out at those playing down Caitlin Clark’s impact on women’s basketball after the 22-year-old star was voted Time Athlete of the Year on December 11.

Credited for transforming the WNBA and ushering in a new era of attention and popularity, the Indiana Fever ace has taken the league by storm in her debut season and averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per-game on her way to becoming Rookie of the Year.

So it’s no shock that if any women’s player was nominated for Athlete of the Year, it was her but that’s not how the likes of Sheila Johnson, owner of the Washington Mystics, have read it as she claimed the wider rookie class is why the sport is more popular then ever.

Some agreed with the 75-year-old, and some disagreed, and it turns out that Barnes is in the latter camp as he came to the defense of the point guard after she collected the historic accolade.

“She’s damned if she does,” Barnes told the “All the Smoke” podcast. “And she’s damned if she doesn’t.

“While the NBA ratings continue to drop over 30% as they try to figure out who’s going to fill the shoes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, the WNBA has a golden goose sitting in their league.

“So instead of downplaying the magnitude of who she is and what she’s brought, enjoy the ride and take advantage of the ride and do everything you can do to show the fanbase why they should’ve been watching before Caitlin came along.”