Angel Reese avoided a one-game WNBA suspension after the league rescinded her eighth technical foul from a recent loss to the Portland Fire. The reversal keeps the Atlanta Dream forward available for upcoming matchups as the team navigates the final stretch of the regular season.
WNBA Reverses Technical Foul and Clears Angel Reese for Action
Angel Reese will remain in the Atlanta Dream lineup after league officials reversed a call that initially carried an automatic suspension. Reese picked up her eighth technical foul of the season during the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s 101-83 defeat against the Portland Fire on Friday, absorbing a disappointing loss in front of their home fans at Gateway Center Arena during their 39th game of the season. Under league guidelines, reaching that threshold triggers a mandatory one-game suspension.
League review changed that outcome. The technical foul was rescinded after the game, returning the forward to seven technicals on the season and clearing her to play, as ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported on X. The initial infraction occurred after Reese and Portland guard Carla Leite tangled while battling for position following a three-point shot from teammate Rhyne Howard, with the incident captured in slo-mo footage circulating widely on social media that shows Reese pushing Leite off with both hands after the made three.
Inside the Atlanta Dream Victory Over the Minnesota Lynx
With her eligibility restored, Reese took the floor as the Atlanta Dream secured an 89-81 win over the Minnesota Lynx at Gateway Center Arena. She recorded another double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, marking her 29th double-double of the season to set a new all-time WNBA record.
The matchup against Minnesota featured a tense on-court confrontation. Reese and Minnesota star Courtney Williams got tangled down low while the Dream forward worked toward the hoop, resulting in a jump ball and a heated argument between the two players. Officials stepped in to de-escalate the situation, letting the play continue without issuing technical fouls.
Playoff Push and Disciplines Moving Forward
The league’s decision to rescind the technical foul provided immediate relief for an Atlanta roster fighting for postseason positioning. The team dropped to 25-14 following the loss to Portland, which ended Atlanta’s three-game winning streak and saw the Dream drop in the standings while Indiana’s victory over Connecticut on the same night allowed the Fever to move ahead, and where Reese contributed 16 points, 16 rebounds, six assists, and two steals, while Howard led the team with 26 points, though Atlanta ultimately had no answer for Leite and Emily Engstler, who combined to score 51 points.
Despite avoiding the immediate ban, Reese continues to sit one technical foul away from a suspension for the remainder of the regular season, with the league noting that her next technical foul would again be her eighth, automatically triggering a one-game suspension, and that additional technicals later in the season could lead to further suspensions under the WNBA’s escalating disciplinary system.
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