Angel Reese, Chicago Sky fined for breaking WNBA’s rules on media availability after loss to Fever

The WNBA announced Sunday that Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky have been fined for failing to follow the league’s rules on media responsibilities after the team’s 71-70 loss to the Indiana Fever. That game was the first professional meeting between Reese and No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark. The league’s full press release: Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky has been fined $1,000 for failing to make herself available to the media for interviews following the game on Saturday, June 1 vs Indiana, the WNBA announced today.

In addition, the Sky organization has been fined $5,000 for failing to ensure that all players comply with WNBA media policies.

Here is what the league’s media access policy says about postgame media availability:

• No later than 10 minutes following the game, each head coach and two players (leading scorer and key contributor) per team will be available in the separate press conference rooms for in-person and zoom media.

• Additional player interviews: After the conclusion of a team’s press conferences, any players not participating at the podium may be requested (through team PR) for interviews by in-person media ONLY. Such “additional players” will be required to be available for interviews in a suitable, alternate location such as the interview room or hallway outside the locker room. There is no zoom requirement for the interviews with additional requested players outside of the press conference.

• ALL players are required to remain in the building (whether requested or not) until all media obligations are met.

The Sky brought Chennedy Carter and Kamilla Cardoso to the podium along with coach Teresa Weatherspoon. There, Carter did not answer questions about the incident in the third quarter in which she put a shoulder into Clark, which was later upgraded to a Flagrant 1 foul upon league review Sunday.

As Reese was not at the podium, she was supposed to be available to in-person media outside the locker room. It is unclear why Reese did not speak.

Reese finished the game with eight points and 13 rebounds, and is now averaging 10.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals for the season. She is second in scoring, first in rebounding and first in steals among rookies, and her 5.0 offensive rebounds per game lead the league.