Can professional athletes be punished for statements made in the press? According to the Chicago Sky, they can. On September 5, the Chicago Sky announced that star player Angel Reese would be benched for the first half of their matchup against the Las Vegas Aces. The suspension follows Reese’s interview with the Chicago Tribune, where she made comments that the Sky found to be “detrimental to the team.”[1] In her interview with the Chicago Tribune, Reese criticized the current direction of the Sky, stating that, while the team needs to bring in players, there is very little that would attract free agents to the team.[2] In the same interview, Reese also said that if “things didn’t change” with the Chicago Sky, she would bring her talent elsewhere.[3] While Reese has been on the receiving end of discipline for her actions on the court plenty of times in the past, this appears to be the first time she has been disciplined for any off-court behavior related to her role on the Chicago Sky.
According to Art. XIV, Section 1 of the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), players shall “conform their conduct to standards of good citizenship, good moral character, and good sportsmanship and shall not do anything detrimental or prejudicial to the best interests of the WNBA, their Teams, or the sport of basketball.”[4] Additionally, Art. XIV, Section 2(a) states that the WNBA and/or a Team may impose “reasonable discipline,” such as fines and/or suspension, if a player fails to conform to such requirements.[5]
Although Reese is not the first player to criticize the state of the Chicago Sky, her discipline likely stems from the fact that Reese called out her teammates by name in her Chicago Tribune interview. In the interview, Reese referred to herself and Kamilla Cardoso as the “only cornerstones of the franchise moving forward,” as it is likely the team can no longer rely on Courtney Vandersloot as its point guard in the 2026 season, as she is coming off an ACL injury at the age of 36.[6]
While it is clear that the Chicago Sky did not appreciate the public comments made by Angel Reese, it is clear that the statements are not without merit. The Chicago Sky finished the 2025 WNBA season with a record of 10-34, landing in the second-to-last spot in the WNBA conference rankings.[7] With the 2025 season nearing a close as teams enter playoffs, only time will tell if Reese’s disciplinary suspension will impact her future with the Chicago Sky.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6603407/2025/09/05/chicago-sky-angel-reese-truth/?camp=8HLU7
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] https://www.wnbpa.com/_files/ugd/575289_1904d7b630624d93a59a904e0d5abffb.pdf
[5] Id.
[6] Supra, note 1.
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