Angel Reese is one of the most polarizing players in the WNBA.
Social media likes to dig at her and criticize her stats. Reese responded by coining the phrase "mebounds" after fans said that she padded her stats by largely rebounding her own misses, trying to discredit her high rate of double-doubles. She trademarked it and ended up making merchandise with the phrase.
Reese has only been in the league two years. In her second season, she accumulated eight technical fouls, which resulted in a one-game suspension. The Chicago Sky then suspended her for a half due to statements "detrimental to the team." This caused her to miss time in early September with the season winding down, even though the Sky were long eliminated from the playoffs.
Reese didn't play in the final game of the regular season due to a back injury. WNBA analysts have said that there is a strong chance that Chicago looks to move on from Reese in the upcoming offseason.
A fan attending Chicago's season finale wore a shirt that read "Free Angel," which caught not only the attention of the camera crew but also the star player she was supporting.
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Here is more on the "Free Angel" shirt and what happened to the fan wearing it.
Why was a Sky fan wearing a 'Free Angel' shirt?
Here she is sitting court side with her “Free Angel” shirt after Angel’s security escorted her down from our seats to sit by the team! .@chicagosky #skytown pic.twitter.com/Tthc5RMLsT
— Skytown Mayor (@RedheadLorri) September 12, 2025
The fan that showed up in the t-shirt was reportedly given a seat upgrade. She was moved down to sit courtside by Reese's security team. When she got down to her new seat, it was right next to Chicago's bench, so Reese's teammates and coaches were able to see the shirt in support of Reese, and presumably her getting traded to a different franchise.
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What is the "Free Angel Reese" movement?
Reese has always been outspoken. She made comments about the Sky and was critical of the direction of the team and urged the franchise to make some significant improvements in the upcoming offseason. As a response, Chicago decided to suspend her for half a game for comments "detrimental to the team". This action prompted fans of the team to flock to Reese in support. The phrase "Free Angel" trended on social media, and Sky and WNBA fans alike stood with her.
Reese is currently under contract with the Sky through the 2026 season, but there is a team option that could keep her in Chicago through the 2027 season. With the forward urging for the franchise to make moves and acquire great players, she may end up finding herself on a new team sooner rather than later if she is traded this offseason.
MORE WNBA: Outlining the best landing spots for Angel Reese in a trade
Angel Reese career stats
Reese was the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Here are her per-game stats over her two years in the WNBA.
| Year | Games | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Blocks | Steals | FG% | FT% |
| 2024 | 34 | 32.5 | 13.6 | 13.1 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 39.1% | 73.6% |
| 2025 | 30 | 31.6 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 45.8% | 75.6% |
| Totals | 64 | 32.0 | 14.1 | 12.9 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 42.1% | 74.6% |