WNBA looking into allegations of hateful comments toward Angel Reese: Source
WNBA looking into allegations of hateful comments toward Angel Reese: Source
The WNBA is investigating allegations of hateful comments made from the stands during Saturday's season opener between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, the league said in a statement Sunday.
'The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society,' the league said. 'We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.'
Advertisement
The statement, which didn't specify when in the game the alleged comments occurred, was in response to allegations of 'racial' comments directed toward the Chicago Sky's Angel Reese by either a fan or fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, said a source briefed on the situation, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The WNBPA released a statement saying it was aware of the allegations and supports the league's investigation.
'Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport,' the WNBPA statement said. 'Under the WNBA's 'No Space for Hate' policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.'
The Fever are working closely with the WNBA on its investigation, Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines said in a statement.
Advertisement
'We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players,' Raines said.
The Sky did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Thursday, the WNBA announced a season-long platform designed to 'combat hate and promote respect across all WNBA spaces — from online discourse to in-arena behavior.' It created a task force of league and team representatives to focus on four areas: enhanced technological features to detect hateful comments online; increased emphasis on team, arena, and league security measures; reinforced mental health resources; and alignment of core values against hate.
On Saturday, a public service announcement aired inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with commissioner Cathy Engelbert discussing the league's 'No Space for Hate' policy and platform.
Advertisement
Last season, numerous players said they dealt with a rise in harassment, including increased targeted racist, misogynistic, homophobic and threatening attacks that players said took a toll on their mental health. Around the league, key stakeholders also questioned how the league handled the influx of attention that followed the stardom of Caitlin Clark and Reese as they transitioned to the pros.
Reese was booed multiple times by fans inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse, peaking when Reese approached the free-throw line for a pair of shots after officials called Clark for a flagrant foul on Reese midway through the third quarter of Indiana's eventual 35-point victory.
Clark was called for the flagrant 1 for what official Roy Gulbeyan said was a 'wind up, impact and follow through for the extension of the left hand to Reese's back.' Reese and Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston were both assessed offsetting technical fouls following the exchange.
Reese and Clark downplayed the incident after the game.
Advertisement
'Basketball play. Refs got it right. Move on,' Reese said.
Clark said she went for the basketball and that she wasn't sure why the referees upgraded the common foul to a flagrant.
'I've watched a lot of basketball in my life,' she said. 'That's exactly what it was. I wasn't trying to do anything malicious. That's not the type of player I am.'
The Sky and Fever will play each other again on June 7 in the second of five meetings this season.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Chicago Sky, Indiana Fever, WNBA
2025 The Athletic Media Company
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
35 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Kyle Hendricks picks up career win No. 100 as Angels beat the Mariners 5-4
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Kyle Hendricks earned the 100th win of his career, Ryan Zeferjahn, Reid Detmers and Kenley Jansen combined for three innings of scoreless relief, and the Los Angeles Angels held on for a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night. Hendricks (3-6) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings, striking out two and walking two. The 35-year-old right-hander escaped a jam in the fifth inning. With runners at second and third with two outs, Hendricks got Randy Arozarena to ground out. Zeferjahn retired the side in order in the seventh, Detmers struck out two of four batters in the eighth, and Jansen threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his 13th save. Right-hander Bryce Miller (2-5) gave up five runs and six hits in five innings for the Mariners, who have lost four straight. The Angels scored twice in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. Jo Adell got hit on the helmet by a 94-mph fastball and stole second. Chris Taylor followed with an RBI double and Nolan Schanuel adding an RBI single. Taylor, the veteran utility man who was signed after the Dodgers released him on May 18, also singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Zach Neto's RBI single for a 1-all tie in the third. Travis d'Arnaud followed Jorge Soler's two-out single with a two-run homer for a 3-3 tie in the fourth. The Mariners scored once in the third on J.P. Crawford's RBI single and twice in the fourth on Rowdy Tellez's sacrifice fly and Leody Taveras' RBI groundout. Key moment Julio Rodriguez jumped high above the wall to rob Taylor of a potential two-run homer to end the sixth. The Seattle center fielder teased Angels fans who thought the ball was gone by taking several steps on the warning track before flipping the ball from his glove to his throwing hand. Key stat Detmers, the converted starter who had a 10.05 ERA through 12 appearances this season, has allowed one earned run in 12 innings of his last 11 games, striking out 17 and walking seven in that span. He has lowered his ERA to 5.81. Up next RHP Luis Castillo (4-3, 3.03 ERA) will start Saturday for the Mariners. RHP Jack Kochanowicz (3-7, 5.34 ERA) will pitch for the Angels. ___ AP MLB:
New York Times
39 minutes ago
- New York Times
Scenes from a Tigers victory: A daunting catch, a daring escape and another unlikely hero
DETROIT — Here was another dilemma. Sweat beat down on Tarik Skubal's head Friday under a strange summer haze. Smoke from Canadian wildfires infiltrated the Detroit sky and lingered as dusk descended on Comerica Park. The best pitcher in baseball was at 94 pitches. He had just surrendered back-to-back singles. There were runners on the corners and two outs. The Tigers were clinging to a 2-1 lead. Advertisement In Skubal's previous outing, manager A.J. Hinch removed him after seven innings and 90 pitches. Reliever Beau Brieske surrendered the lead to the Kansas City Royals in the eighth. Skubal keeps pitching so well that it's creating difficult decisions for his manager. Friday, Hinch again called to the bullpen. Right-hander Will Vest entered to face Seiya Suzuki, who was 0-for-3 against Skubal but entered play with a 1.173 OPS against left-handed pitching. The move made logical sense but still required some gumption. 'Suzuki is the at-bat of the game,' Hinch said. 'It's the most leverage, it's the biggest spot, and we've got to get a righty on him at that moment.' The right-handed Vest has been a dynamic force in his own right this season, the owner of a 1.72 ERA. So in the top of the eighth, Vest threw a 1-2 fastball that caught too much of the plate. Suzuki appeared to swing under the ball. It left his bat at a 39-degree launch angle. At the dais after the game, Hinch mimicked his thought process as the ball traveled through the air. 'OK,' Hinch thought for a moment, 'we got out of it.' But Suzuki's hit hung in the sky like a disco ball, slowly drifting deeper into the hazy twilight. 'I was like: 'Stay here. Stay in the ballpark,'' Hinch said. There at the wall, Kerry Carpenter, the right-fielder whose defense has been an adventure as of late, peeked toward the padding and ran. He always thought he'd make the catch, he said. Finally, the sphere came crashing toward the earth. Carpenter jumped. Extended his glove. And … there it was. Ball met leather. Carpenter made the catch, might have robbed a home run, and certainly kept the Tigers' lead intact. Now watching as a spectator, Skubal pumped his fists and shouted in celebration. 'You're doing everything you can in the dugout to reel it back in,' Skubal said. KERRY CARPENTER IS A BAD MAN.#VoteTigers ⭐️ — Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 7, 2025 That was the peak of another dramatic Tigers victory, 3-1 against the Chicago Cubs, this one a win that encapsulated so much of what has made this team so good all season. The Tigers entered as the best team in the American League. The Cubs entered as the best team in the National League. Detroit was coming off a sleepy series on the South Side, where it split four games with the last-place Chicago White Sox. The Cubs rolled into town having won four out of five. Skubal was on the mound. The park was sold out. The game was flying by. Advertisement The Tigers struck first in the fifth. Gleyber Torres, the second baseman they shrewdly signed on a one-year deal this winter, hit a shrieking line drive over shortstop to bring home a run. The Cubs tied the score when Kyle Tucker doubled home rookie Matt Shaw in the sixth. And then the Tigers did what they have been doing all year. Finding ways. Some way, any way. Spencer Torkelson, entering on a 3-for-27 slump despite a redemptive season that will merit All-Star consideration, got down 0-2. Cubs starter Ben Brown threw three consecutive knuckle curves low, scraping the dirt. Torkelson took all three. Full count. Then he got a fastball. Torkelson smoothed out his swing, found his timing and detonated a blast that sent the ball crescendoing over the left-field fence. It was Torkelson's 15th home run of the year. The Tigers pulled ahead. That set the stage for the drama in the eighth. The Tigers escaped with the lead. Along the way, they benefited from a series of sterling defensive plays. Riley Greene caught a ball and crashed into the left-field wall. Javier Báez played impeccable shortstop, even redirected a throw from left in the fifth to nab Pete Crow-Armstrong, who ran past the base at third on a late stop sign, then was called out floundering back to the bag. Dillon Dingler threw out Shaw for a key out in the eighth. 'That was an absolute clinic by the guys,' Torkelson said. The Tigers have started wearing T-shirts with one of Hinch's mantras printed on the back. Everything matters. 'Everything matters in every game,' Hinch said. 'Everything matters to a greater extent in a close game. And any one of those plays could have changed the whole complexion of the score.' And in the ninth, a little more poetry. Before the game, the Tigers sent down Andy Ibáñez, their longtime right-handed-hitting specialist who has lost all feel in the box. Ibáñez was coming off a lackluster series against the White Sox, slumbering at the plate for much of the past two weeks, and the Tigers needed to infuse their offense, particularly with right-handed help. They brought up Jahmai Jones, a 2015 second-round pick who's on his fifth MLB team at 27 years old. Advertisement Jones has a unique connection to this city. His late father, Andre, was a defensive end for the Detroit Lions in 1992. His older brother, T.J., also played four seasons for the Lions as a wide receiver. In spring, Jones talked of all these connections, of the family legacy, of what it would mean to actually make it to Detroit. He impressed in spring but did not make the team. He lingered in Toledo, where his name was hardly mentioned in the endless roster talks that percolate through the season. But finally the Tigers sent down Ibáñez to find himself. Jones got the chance. He arrived at Comerica Park around 2:30 p.m. and launched straight into game prep. After first pitch, he sat near injured utility player Matt Vierling, talking about the best way to prepare for the possibility of a late-game pinch hit chance. Hinch called Jones' number in the ninth. And what did he do on his first pitch? He got a hanging curveball, then launched a looping torpedo over the left-field fence. This was his first bat, his first pitch, as a Detroit Tiger. And it was his first home run, only the second of his major-league career. He retreated to the dugout, saw Vierling and started laughing. 'I told you how to get ready!' Vierling shouted. 'My guy!' Jones said in response. In the bottom of the ninth, 40,000 people rose to their feet. Vest — once a Rule 5 pick who was returned to the Tigers after a mediocre stint with the Seattle Mariners — closed the door for the 10th time this season. Hinch was asked about the idea of his Tigers meeting the moment. Tough matchup, national broadcast, big crowd, all that. He practically shrugged. 'I appreciate the thought of raising the bar,' Hinch said. 'The bar is pretty high around here.' (Top photo of Will Vest: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
Forbes
40 minutes ago
- Forbes
Amanda Nunes Unretires to Pursue Title, ‘I'm Going To Be Ready'
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 17: A detail shot of the UFC Legacy Championship Belt during the UFC ... More 241 event at the Honda Center on August 17, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) The rumors, teases, and unofficial statements are over. Recently announced UFC Hall-of-Famer Amanda Nunes is returning to the Octagon, and her plan is to challenge the winner of the UFC 316 co-main event to regain her women's bantamweight title. In a Q&A with ESPN's Brett Okamoto on Friday, the eve of UFC 316, Nunes said, "I missed [fighting] so much," Nunes said on Friday. "My baby is big now. She didn't sleep much at night [as a baby] and I was concerned about that because we fighters need sleep. But now, my baby is bigger and I'm ready to go. Kayla [Harrison] or Julianna [Peña], I'm going to be ready." Nunes retired in June 2023 following a successful title defense against Irene Aldana, but many believed she may have been walking away from the sport prematurely. UFC CEO Dana White has made it clear he thought Nunes left too soon. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - JUNE 10: Amanda Nunes of Brazil announces her retirement after her ... More victory over Irene Aldana of Mexico in their women's bantamweight title fight during the UFC 289 event at Rogers Arena on June 10, 2023 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Nunes is unquestionably the greatest female fighter of all time and one of the best ever regardless of gender. Currently, Nunes has a record of 23-5, and that mark includes an unprecedented run as the UFC's bantamweight and featherweight champion. From March 2015 through 2023, Nunes went 14-1, including a 12-fight win streak. Nunes' lone loss during her dominant stretch came against Peña. The current champion defeated Nunes via second-round submission at UFC 269 to win the title. Nunes regained the title with a unanimous decision victory in their rematch. Peña wanted a trilogy fight and notoriously booed Nunes as the latter placed her gloves in the center of the Octagon back in 2023 when the Lioness walked away from the sport. As it turns out, Peña could get another crack at her rival. She has a massive test on her hands on Saturday in New Jersey. Harrison, an Olympic gold medalist and former Professional Fighters League champion, is vying to become the first woman to win titles with both organizations. Harrison has been pretty dominant in her two fights in the UFC, with a stoppage win over Holly Holm and a unanimous decision victory over Ketlen Vieira to earn the title shot. Harrison's biggest issues have seemingly been just making weight. She's never missed weight, but has looked worse for wear each time. Friday was no exception, as the world-class athlete looked massively depleted on the scales but rejuvenated later that evening during the ceremonial weigh-ins. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 06: (L-R) Opponents Julianna Pena and Kayla Harrison face off during the ... More UFC 316 ceremonial weigh-in at Prudential Center on June 06, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) In any case, Nunes will be in the house at the Prudential Center to likely face off with the winner. It wouldn't be a shock to see Nunes vs. the winner scheduled for the November pay-per-view in New York. Here is a look at the entire UFC 316 card.
