Angel Reese Criticized as Gimmick Used to Diminish Caitlin Clark

Angel Reese is suffering the fallout from the controversial end to her double-double streak.

The Chicago Sky rookie’s WNBA record came to an end on July 13 when her team fell to the New York Liberty and she ended the game with eight points. Reese tried to extend her double-double streak to 16 games, calling for the ball on the final possession but drew four Liberty defenders.

After the game, Reese faced allegations she was attempting to pad her stats and took criticism for the final possession. Commentator Jason Whitlock went a step further, saying after the game that the attention on Reese is meant to take the spotlight away from fellow rookie Caitlin Clark.

"Never again. No serious person should ever again discuss Angel Reese as rookie of the year," Whitlock wrote in a post on X . "She's just too unskilled offensively. She struggles to make layups. She's a nice rebounder. She's not an 'all-star.' She's being used as a gimmick to diminish Clark."

Whitlock went on to say the ending to Saturday's game is indicative of one of Reese's biggest weaknesses.

"Reese played 36 minutes and had zero impact," he wrote. "The double-double gimmick ended today because Reese missed too many point-blank layups. It's not just one bad game. She shoots an incredibly low percentage from 3-4 feet."

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