Unrivaled Receives $340 Million Ahead of Angel Reese's Second Campaign - Athlon Sports

The Chicago Sky’s season had just ended in heartbreak—a 10-34 record, another year missing the playoffs, and Angel Reese, their brightest star, nowhere to be found on the court for the final game. But by Friday morning, Reese was everywhere, splashed across social media feeds in a video that set the WNBA world ablaze.

The clip, posted by BrickCenter and instantly viral, showed Reese twerking on a plush private jet, her smile wide, her energy electric, her “bad back” seemingly forgotten. She danced with a friend, laughing as the camera rolled. “Angel Reese twerking with her bad back🙏,” the caption teased, sparking a tidal wave of reactions.

“That back rebounding 😂🤣,” one fan snarked, as if the sight of Reese moving so freely was a punchline to the Sky’s season-long injury woes. Another chimed in, “Can u imagine if an NBA player were to film themselves turning up on a plane after their season ended missing the playoffs and going 10-32?” The comparisons came thick and fast, each tweet adding fuel to the fire.

CCFC- on X: "She will be broke in a couple of years." / X

Reese, officially ruled out of the Sky’s last home game against the New York Liberty due to her recurring back injury, had missed three straight games to close the season. She’d sat out the second half against the Aces, missed a rematch, and was absent for the Liberty showdown—a game Chicago lost 91-86, their hopes dashed. Her back, the team said, was flaring up again. But in the video, there was no sign of pain.

“That’s probably how she hurts her back all the time. She does that more than playing ball,” someone quipped, the sarcasm biting. Another user observed, “Back isn’t hurting so bad I see!!” The skepticism was everywhere, the outrage palpable.

Reese’s second season in the pros had been a roller-coaster—suspensions, injuries, flashes of brilliance, and now, controversy. She’d missed 10 games earlier in the campaign, her averages still impressive: 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals over 30 games. But for fans, stats meant little when the season ended in disappointment and their star was dancing off the court.

The whispers of a move grew louder. “She’s done with the Sky,” one insider tweeted, referencing rumors of Reese’s next destination. Meanwhile, Sophie Cunningham, a rival player, dropped the hammer on a podcast: “You can’t talk about your teammates, miss games, and then party like nothing happened. That’s not leadership.”

The debate raged on. Some defended Reese, reminding everyone she’s only 22, still learning, still growing. Others demanded accountability. “If you’re hurt, you’re hurt. But if you’re fine enough to party, you should be fine enough to play,” wrote @WNBARealTalk.

Through it all, Reese stayed silent, her only public statement the viral video itself—a snapshot of youth, fame, and the razor-thin line between celebration and controversy. The Chicago Sky fans watched, wondered, and waited. Would their star return, or was this the last dance?

One thing was clear: Angel Reese knows how to make headlines. And in the world of sports, sometimes the biggest stories happen off the court.