Indiana Fever player Kelsey Mitchell spoke about the perceived treatment of Chicago Sky star Angel Reese by fans.
While speaking to reporters at the WNBA All-Star game, a reporter asked Mitchell her thoughts on the “negativity” directed toward Reese, “as a Black woman.”
“I think it’s important to make sure that we keep it less about color and more about just human to human,” Mitchell answered. “I think if you just have decency and common decency about what we do as women on the floor, you know that Angel Reese is a bad woman on and off the floor. And we as women have to represent that.”
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When asked what Mitchell would say to the fans who direct negativity at Reese, Mitchell said, “God bless you.”
“I hope your spirit is in heal a stage to where you don’t have to make these comments cuz it’s really bashful. Um we as women. We come on here and we try to compete and connect and use hoop to, you know, express ourselves,” Mitchell said.
“Like it’s not always going to go our way and the people that bet on us and the people the nasty comments that we get about the people we do and don’t play with, it’s like it’s disrespectful to what we trying to do, like give us the benefit of the doubt and I hope that people see us as humans.”
Reese is one of the league’s more popular and polarizing players, and has built a passionate following largely on her ongoing rivalry with phenom Caitlin Clark dating back to their college days. Clark’s and Reese’s rookie season in 2024 saw the league break multiple viewership and attendance records, particularly due to games featuring Clark and the Indiana Fever.
Reese was criticized for a gesture at the end of the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball championship game where she pointed to her ring finger to taunt Clark after Reese’s team won. The moment boosted Reese’s public profile and incited polarizing attention, with many of Clark fans hurling criticisms at Reese online.
However, one instance of alleged mistreatment of Reese was investigated and not substantiated.
WNBA INVESTIGATION FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF HATEFUL COMMENTS TOWARD ANGEL REESE
After a reported incident of fan harassment against Reese during the Fever and Sky’s first game of the season on May 17, the WNBA launched an investigation into the matter. But the league announced 10 days later that the allegations of “hateful comments” were “not substantiated.”
“We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which were not substantiated,” the Fever said in a statement.
“At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place. Indiana is home to the world’s greatest fans, and we look forward to an exciting season of Fever basketball.”
Added the WNBA, “Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated [the report]. The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct.”
U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind, called on the WNBA and the Fever to apologize to Fever fans after that investigation found no evidence.
“(Reese) accused the Indiana Fever fan base of being racists. They investigated it. They said those accusations were false. The least that she could do is apologize to our great state and the fans that show up at these games and say, ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong.’ Obviously, she’s not going to do that,” Banks said Tuesday during an appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich.”
“Those are awful accusations. They weren’t true. The fans weren’t shouting racial slurs towards Angel Reese or opposing players. I mean, where is Caitlin Clark? Where is the Indiana Fever? Where is the WNBA saying that that investigation? There shouldn’t have been an investigation. The allegations were false. Where’s the apology? It’s disappointing.”
It is unclear whether Reese notified the WNBA to prompt the investigation. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh found out about the reports “when everyone else did.” However, Reese has said in the past that Fever and Iowa fans have been racist toward her.
“It’s so demeaning to our state and to the fan base to go through something like that. The least they can do is apologize to the fans,” Banks added. “That’s the kind of garbage that gets thrown around all the time.”
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