Dream HC Addresses Physicality as Flagrant Foul By Ex-Chicago Teammate Leaves Angel Reese in Tears

Even though the WNBA has promised freedom of movement, physicality continues to dominate. Atlanta Dream’s first matchup against the Toronto Tempo was no different. With Angel Reese and her former Chicago Sky teammate, Isabelle Harrison, chirping from the kickoff, emotions soon took over. But if you ask Dream head coach Karl Smesko, this is nothing new for his star forward.

“It’s one of those situations where she’s going to be inside, she’s going to be physical, and sometimes not get the calls,” Smesko told the media after the game. “You just have to manage it. You can’t control it, so you just have to keep playing. I thought she did that tonight, and I think that’s a large reason why she had such a great second half of the game.”

With defensive-minded players all on the floor, from Tempo’s Marina Mabrey, Harrison, and Brittney Sykes to the Dream’s Reese, Natasha Howard, and Naz Hillmon, the game was physical from the beginning. But more specifically, it was Reese who faced the most physicality.

Case in point, the second-quarter foul on Reese. With 3:13 on the clock, the forward was trying to move into the paint, but just as she got the ball and touched Harrison slightly, she was called for an offensive foul. Right then, Harrison tried to smack the ball out of Reese’s hands even though the play was done. But she did not get any justice there.

However, just twenty seconds ago, when Reese knocked the ball out of Harrison’s hand after the end of a play, she could not force a foul even after asking the referees. When Harrison scored on Reese, she even gave her the “too small” celebration. The worst came in the next period.

With 6:07 on the clock in the third quarter and the Dream leading 52-42, Reese got the ball from Howard in the paint. But as she dribbled the ball once, Harrison wrapped her hands around Reese’s neck and pulled her down to the floor along with her. Harrison received a flagrant-2 foul for that play and was ejected from the game.

Reese, who used to be close to Harrison as a rookie in the WNBA, was angry once, and her teammates had to hold her back. But going to the sidelines, she was teary-eyed as the game became too physical for her to handle. She was still not composed as she went to the free throw line because of the flagrant foul. She missed both.

Physicality is nothing new for Reese, who knows what being a defensive paint dominator means in a league like the WNBA. In fact, she was touted for her ability to get over the same by her rookie season head coach, Teresa Weatherspoon, and LSU head coach Kim Mulkey. However, this got too much out of hand for her, clearly.

Harrison, meanwhile, was seen leaving with a smile on her face. But the issue went beyond her.

The entire Toronto Tempo team seemed to have come into this game to use their physicality against Reese. There was a lot of contact being allowed in the paint as Reese attempted no more than six free throws, making 50 percent.

The Dream star finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds in their 102-77 win. But she could only shoot 6-19 from the field. Despite a spotty game from Reese, her rebounding and effort were always there. She grabbed a career-high 11 offensive boards for the Dream, which was more than twice the entire Tempo team combined and only one short of tying the WNBA single-game record.

“Angel’s a beast on the boards. She does everything that we need to help us win and accomplish our goals for the game,” Allisha Gray said after the game. “I think Angel did really well tonight, keeping her composure and really battling on the boards.”

Beyond the personal feud, there has been a stinginess in the fouls called with Reese. The entire league is moving towards more offensive basketball and an emphasis on the freedom of movement. The number of calls is going up from 17.5 per game last year to 20.7 this year. For Angel Reese, though, there has been no change. 

While the disparity is not completely proven, physicality remains the mantra to counter Angel Reese. So far, she is soldiering through regardless, making important plays for the Dream and contributing across the floor. But, as Smesko said, she will need to finish through physicality without getting too caught up in her emotions. And that’s just the reality of it.

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