Angel Reese Exits After 8-Point Night With Left Leg Injury in Dream's 93-91 Win

Q: Will Angel Reese's injury sideline her for the All-Star Game after her controversial starting lineup snub?

It is too early to say whether Angel Reese will miss the WNBA All-Star Game. What is clear is that Reese left Sunday’s win over Chicago with a left leg injury after her leg appeared to buckle on a layup attempt. Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said she was in pain and that he was not comfortable sending her back into the game, though he added she was in “great spirits” afterward. No formal diagnosis or timetable has been reported yet. That uncertainty matters because the All-Star Game is set for July 25, only days away. Atlanta does not play again until July 29, which gives Reese some recovery time, but it also means the All-Star decision could come before she is fully tested in game conditions. Under WNBA injury-reporting rules, the Dream will have to clarify her status closer to the event. The “starting lineup snub” is separate from the injury question. Reese was not voted in as a starter despite strong fan support and a standout season, but she has been named an All-Star. So the issue now is not selection, but availability. Based on the information available, Reese’s status for the All-Star Game is uncertain rather than ruled out. If the injury is minor, the schedule gives her a chance to play. If the leg issue involves her knee or a more significant lower-leg problem, Atlanta and the league may choose caution, especially with the Dream sitting at 16-10 and Reese central to their season.

Q: Do Reese's scoring flaws and recent injury call into question the high price the Dream paid for her?

Not yet, but they do sharpen the scrutiny. One poor game and a leg injury do not, by themselves, make Atlanta’s trade for Angel Reese look misguided. Before Sunday, Reese was producing at an All-Star level, averaging 15.7 points and a league-best 11.8 rebounds, and she had just posted a 23-point, 12-rebound game. Atlanta is 16-10, and her rebounding, defensive activity and star power remain major parts of her value. What does raise legitimate questions is not this single outing, but her broader offensive profile. Reese has long been an elite rebounder, but her scoring efficiency has been a concern: roughly 42% for her career, below 50% even on many close-range attempts, limited range outside the paint, and relatively high turnover numbers. Sunday’s 3-of-13 performance against Chicago fit that pattern more than it created a new one. For a player acquired for two future first-round picks, those flaws matter. The injury adds uncertainty, but the early signs are not catastrophic. Coach Karl Smesko said Reese was in pain, yet in good spirits, and Atlanta does not play again until July 29, giving her recovery time. Unless the injury proves serious, it is too early to treat it as evidence the price was too high. The fairest reading is that the trade still makes sense because Reese delivers elite rebounding, marketability and upside, but Atlanta paid a premium for a player whose offensive game remains unfinished. That makes the deal defensible, not beyond question.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 20

Angel Reese was ruled out 14 seconds into the fourth quarter after her left leg gave out on a layup attempt in Atlanta’s 93-91 win over Chicago.
Before the injury, Reese had one of her weakest games of the season, finishing with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 3 turnovers while shooting 3-of-13 in 20 minutes.
Karl Smesko said Reese was in good spirits afterward and wanted to return, but he kept her out because she appeared to be in significant pain.
Jordin Canada hit the winning layup at the buzzer after Atlanta blew a 22-point lead, lifting the Dream to 16-10 against the 9-17 Sky.
The injury comes five days before the July 25 WNBA All-Star Game; Atlanta does not play again until July 29, giving Reese extra recovery time.