Sports
Angel Reese clotheslined as WNBA veteran gets ejected: 'I kept going and kept pushing'
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese had herself quite the rookie moment in Saturday night’s loss to the Connecticut Sun, which resulted in a WNBA veteran’s ejection.
The Sun’s Alyssa Thomas was sent off the court prematurely after a wrestle for a rebound resulted in her clotheslining Reese in the third quarter of Connecticut’s 86-82 victory.
Thomas stuck her arm and hand out across Reese’s neck as they battled for the rebound, and Reese hit the deck pretty hard.
Angel Reese of the Sky plays defense against Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on May 25, 2024. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
As referees reviewed the call, they found that Thomas committed a flagrant foul 2, the first of her career, and it resulted in an automatic ejection.
After the game, Reese, who finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists over 33 minutes on the court, didn’t mind what happened with Thomas.
She has said before her WNBA career began that she wanted to be “knocked down” and learn from the adversity. She might not have meant it literally, but that’s exactly the way she viewed the situation.
CAITLIN CLARK SAYS SHE TALKS WITH MEDIA MORE THAN HER ‘OWN FAMILY’ THROUGH EARLY PORTION OF WNBA ROOKIE SEASON
“It’s not just because I’m a rookie. I’m a player. I’m a basketball player. They don’t give a damn if I’m a rookie,” Reese said about the incident, per The Athletic. “I mean, I want them to come at me every day. I want them to come at everybody.”
Reese isn’t looking for some special treatment because she’s a rookie. If anything, she wants the pressure, the physicality and the aggression from opponents because, like she said, she’s a basketball player trying to win like the rest of them.
Angel Reese of the Sky is shown during the game against the Connecticut Sun on May 25, 2024, in Chicago. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
“They’re not supposed to be nice to me,” Reese continued. “I hope you all know that. They’re not supposed to be nice to me or lay down because I’m Angel Reese or because I’m a rookie. Like, thank you, AT, for sending a message to me because I got back up, and I kept going and kept pushing. Like me and AT have been cool since we were at Maryland, so I know it’s not hard feelings. I appreciate her for going at me today or every day.”
As Reese mentioned, she and Thomas go back to their days in College Park, Maryland, playing for the Terrapins. She said before the Sky took on the Sun that she admired Thomas.
“I know she purposely probably didn’t do it toward me, but just being able to come out there and just be strong and stand on two feet, it was going to be a tough game, and that’s what I’m built for.”
Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky is averaging 12.3 points and 7.8 rebounds during the 2024 season. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
Reese has acclimated to the WNBA well. She’s averaging 12.3 points and 7.8 rebounds during the 2024 season.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Folarin Balogun’s teammates came to his defense after the USA World Cup star was given a red card during the team’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night.
Balogun received the red card after he stepped on defender Tarik Muharemovic’s right ankle. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus only gave Balogun the card after a VAR review. The red card meant Balogun will not be able to play in the team’s Round of 16 match against Belgium.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
United States’ Folarin Balogun, right, stands by after being issued a red card by Referee Raphael Claus, of Brazil, as United States’ Weston McKennie (8) looks on during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A FIFA official told The Athletic a team cannot appeal against the red card or the suspension. The official pointed the outlet to a portion of the organization’s rules and regulations, which states, “A sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match. The FIFA judicial bodies may impose additional match suspensions and other disciplinary measures.”
Balogun’s teammate, Weston McKennie, called the lack of an appeal process “bogus” and disagreed with the referee’s decision to issue the red card.
Bosnia’s Sead Kolasinac (5) talks to United States’ Folarin Balogun after Balogun was sent off, as Christian Pulisic (10) watches during the World Cup round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Julio Cortez / AP)
“Obviously the ref made a decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable,” McKennie said. “I think there’s been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn’t given at all. It’s disappointing.”
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Balogun’s act “was never intentional.”
“It’s never a red card. Never. … If the intention is to damage the opponent, OK, I understand. But that never was. It was a normal action in football that you are fighting for the ball and your feet land,” he said.
Balogun is the third player to score in a World Cup knockout match and be sent off. He follows Brazil’s Ronaldinho in 2002’s quarterfinal match against England and France’s Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy.
Referee Raphael Claus of Brazil shows a red card to United States’ Folarin Balogun, right, during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
It’s the fifth red card handed to an American in the squad’s World Cup history.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Eric Wynalda received one against Czechoslovakia in 1990, Fernando Clavijo got one against Brazil in 1994 and Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope each received one against Italy in 2006.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
While veterans jockey for new contracts during free agency, young players are getting their tryout opportunities with NBA summer league games beginning this week.
First-round draft pick Cameron Carr and second-year forward Adou Thiero highlight the Lakers summer league roster that was announced Wednesday. The 16-man team will be coached by Lakers assistant coach Ty Abbott and begin summer league play Friday against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.
The Lakers also face the Miami Heat (July 5, 1:30 p.m.) and San Antonio Spurs (July 6, 4:30 p.m.) in the California Classic before playing in the Las Vegas summer league from July 9-19. The Lakers play Oklahoma City (July 10), Dallas (July 11), the Clippers (July 14) and Chicago (July 16) in Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack Center.
The Lakers traded up in the draft to get Carr, a 6-foot-5 guard out of Baylor, with the 24th overall pick. He will make his unofficial NBA debut, along with former Indiana State and Saint Louis star Robbie Avila. The 6-10 center became a bespectacled college basketball cult hero known affectionately as “Cream Abdul Jabbar” while leading Indiana State to the NIT championship game in 2024. He transferred to Saint Louis, where he was named Atlantic-10 player of the year as a senior when the Billikens won a school-record 29 wins.
Although he is entering his second season with the Lakers, Thiero will be playing his first summer league games. Persistent knee injuries hampered his rookie season. The athletic 6-7 forward averaged 1.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 25 appearances last season. He said after the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs that he wanted to improve on his three-point shooting during his second year. He attempted only five three-pointers during his rookie season, regular season and playoffs, making one.
Lakers summer league roster
Robbie Avila, C, 6-10, 240
Cameron Carr, G, 6-5, 190
Jon Elmore, G, 6-3, 190
Luke Goode, F, 6-7, 210
William Hickey, G, 6-4, 203
Arthur Kaluma, F, 6-7, 225
William Kyle III, C, 6-9, 230
Chris Mañon, G, 6-4, 212
Robert McCray V, G, 6-4, 188
AK Okereke, F, 6-7, 245
Chase Ross, G, 6-5, 210
Zhaire Smith, G, 6-4, 205
Peter Suder, G, 6-5, 215
Adou Thiero, F, 6-7, 234
Anton Watson, F, 6-8, 225
Jacari White, G, 6-3, 180
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
U.S. men’s national team star Folarin Balogun received a red card in the second half of their Round of 32 World Cup matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night.
Balogun was making a challenge on a ball when he stepped on an opposing player’s leg.
The U.S. men’s national team is down to 10 players for the rest of the match. If the U.S. holds their 1-0 lead, Balogun will have to miss the Round of 16 game.
Balogun scored for the U.S. in the first half.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
-
Oregon6 minutes ago
Oregon Says Racism Is a Health Crisis, Now It Has a To-Do List
-
Pennsylvania9 minutes agoWhy are flags at half-staff today? Why they’ll stay lowered in PA
-
Rhode Island14 minutes agoExclusive | Not everyone’s happy about Taylor Swift’s MSG wedding, as Rhode Island residents are left at altarÂ
-
South-Carolina21 minutes ago2 injured in South Carolina plane crash
-
South Dakota24 minutes agoSouth Dakota State Museum reopens three renovated rooms for America 250
-
Tennessee29 minutes agoTracking heat and strong storms through the holiday weekend in Middle Tennessee
-
Texas36 minutes agoQUICK LOOK: Gas prices in Texas ahead of Fourth of July
-
Utah39 minutes agoUtah State celebrates a new era, as Aggies join the Pac-12 Conference
