NEED TO KNOW
- Angel Reese’s teammate Ariel Atkins called out the “crap that she gets” on a daily basis from basketball critics
- Atkins told reporters Reese “has to have a wall” up because her “crown is heavy”
- Reese had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists in her best game of the season against the Liberty on Tuesday
Angel Reese’s teammate came to her defense after the Chicago Sky’s blowout loss to the New York Liberty.
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Despite Reese, 23, playing her best game of the season on Tuesday, June 10, the Sky lost their sixth game of the season amid criticism of her game.
Speaking to reporters while sitting next to Reese after the game, Sky guard Ariel Atkins said the former LSU star deserves some grace. “This is a 23-year-old kid and the amount of crap that she gets on day-to-day, and she still shows up,” Atkins, 28, said, as seen in a video on X.
Atkins continued, “Whatever questions y’all got about our team, basketball-wise we appreciate it, but all the other nonsense, it’s irrelevant. We’re here to play basketball and do what we do. We’re having a hard time right now at the end of the day.”
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Angel Reese plays against the Liberty on June 10, 2025.
Catalina Fragoso /NBAE via Getty
Reese’s teammate once more pointed out her age, calling Reese a 23 year old “who handles herself with grace.”
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“Her crown is heavy, so whatever else y’all wanna come at her for the way that she acts, she has to build a wall. She has to have a wall. Because if she doesn’t, people will break her down. Not only because of the way that she looks, but because of the way she carries herself.”
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Atkins said Reese “doesn’t just walk around acting like, ‘I’m this, I’m that.’ No, she knows who she is and we ain’t going to break her down for that.”
Atkins told reporters that she hopes they stick to questions about basketball. “Maybe a box score question,” and added, “But the kid’s crown is heavy. Respect that.”
Reese showed her appreciation for Atkin’s support on social media after, reposting the video of Atkins’ message on X and writing, “Love my Vet man.”
Even rapper Cardi B, who enlisted Reese to star in her music video in 2023, was touched by Atkins’ defense. Cardi reposted the video of their postgame presser and added heart and teary-eyed emojis.
Reese, an NCAA champion, was drafted seventh overall by the Sky in 2024. In Tuesday’s loss to the Liberty, she scored 17 points with 11 rebounds and three assists.
On Friday, Reese, Atkins and the Sky will travel to Atlanta to take on the Dream.
