‘Terrible look’: Angel Reese sparks reactions after walking away mid-play in WNBA Finals

Jul 29, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) reacts after a play against the Dallas Wings during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images Kevin Harrish Tue, October 20, 2026 at 9:10 PM UTC · 4 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Angel Reese put together a dominant performance in WNBA Finals history on Monday night. But one moment from the Atlanta Dream's Game 2 win over the Golden State Valkyries has people talking just as much as her stat line.

At one point during Monday night's game, Reese appeared to get frustrated after her teammates didn't get her the ball, and she walked away from the play while it was still going on. Critics jumped on the moment, while her defenders were quick to point out everything else she did on the floor.

With Atlanta looking for a win after dropping Game 1 against Golden State, Reese had one of the best games of her entire career when it mattered most.

Reese finished with 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting, 16 rebounds, three assists and two blocks as the Dream beat the Valkyries 79-65 to tie the series at 1-1. It was the first WNBA Finals win in franchise history.

She became just the third player in WNBA history with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in a Finals game, according to SportsCenter . The only other players to put up a 30-point, 16-rebound Finals game are Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.

While Reese's overall performance in the game was dominant, she did have one play that drew a lot of criticism on social media.

In a clip that went viral during the game, Reese can be seen stomping her feet after her teammates didn't pass her the ball. She then walked away from the play as the Dream's possession continued.

"Terrible look from Angel Reese, who started stomping her feet and quit on a play in the WNBA Finals because her teammates wouldn't pass her the ball," wrote OutKick's Dan Zaksheske . "She literally just walked away mid-possession rather than get in position for an offensive rebound."

Zaksheske was certainly not the only one criticizing Reese.

"Angel Reese doesn't get the ball so she just… walks away mid play??" OutKick wrote .

"Angel Reese was PISSED her teammates wouldn't pass her the ball and QUIT on the play," wrote prominent sports commentary account BrickCenter .

"Embarrassing. Unwatchable," wrote Fox News contributor James Gagliano .

"Angel Reese started throwing a fit and stomping her feet when her teammates didn't pass her the ball. She GAVE UP MID PLAY," prominent WNBA meme account House of Lowlights wrote in a post on X.

While some criticized Reese, others felt the criticism missed the bigger picture, given how dominant Reese was in Game 2.

"Angel Reese just had one of the most dominant performances in WNBA history, and y'all come up with this?

😂 I'm no Aaron Rodgers fan. But I know dude can ball. See, it's not hard to accept what your eyes see when you aren't blinded by stupid hate," wrote Issac Bailey , a Davidson College professor of practice and former Harvard Nieman Fellow.

"Angel Reese knows that she needs to get the ball more for the Dream to win, and she's not afraid to say it," wrote Steph Noh of Sporting News.

Noh later followed up on the criticism after the game.

"People are somehow still finding a way to disparage Angel Reese after her brilliant Game 2, criticizing her for being upset about not getting the ball," Noh wrote . "Here's the missing context, and the chess match going on between Reese and Kiah Stokes that those people are oblivious to."

Even Zaksheske acknowledged Reese's dominant game in a follow-up post .

"Other than the tantrum, Angel Reese is having a huge night and has the Dream on the verge of their first WNBA Finals win in franchise history," he wrote.

People might not have liked her antics, it's hard to argue with the results. Reese wanted the ball, and when the Dream got it to her, she delivered.

Game 3 is set for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The post 'Terrible look': Angel Reese sparks reactions after walking away mid-play in WNBA Finals appeared first on The Comeback: Today's Top Sports Stories & Reactions .

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Source: Sports