Alyssa Thomas received a ton of backlash during the Connecticut Sun-Chicago Sky game over the weekend after she choke-slammed Angel Reese.
WNBA fans didn’t appreciate the treatment towards the rising star, with many critics also using it as fuel to further highlight the narrative that vets are jealous of the current rookies.
Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon, however, has a difference stance on the matter.
For what it’s worth, Reese quickly downplayed the incident and noted that she didn’t expect to be treated differently because she’s a rookie. The Sky forward even thanked Thomas for “sending a message to me because I got back up and I kept going.”
At the end of the day, Reese knows the WNBA is a physical league, and she doesn’t expect anything less whenever she steps on the hardwood.
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Weatherspoon, for her part, feels and thinks the same. According to the veteran tactician, that is simply the nature of basketball–plain and simple.
“Without saying men or women, it’s basketball. Period,” Weatherspoon told the Chicago Sun-Times, refusing to buy into the talks that the vets are trying to hurt the rookies amid all the attention they are getting.
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) warms up prior to the game against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports© Provided by Athlon Sports
Following the Saturday showdown, Teresa Weatherspoon also didn’t seem to be too bothered by what happened, admitting that she was even surprised that Alyssa Thomas was called for as Flagrant 2 foul on Angel Reese and ejected.
Thomas has yet to address the controversial incident as well, and sure enough, many are looking forward to her statement
