Indiana Fever Not Angel Reese’s First Choice in Massive Praise for Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty

The moment came when Angel Reese etched her name into the record books by becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 500 points and 500 rebounds in just 38 games. You’d think such dominance on Phoenix’s home court might have stirred unease, maybe even silence. Instead, the arena rose with cheers. That’s the strange beauty of Reese’s connection with Phoenix. In comment sections, fans dare to imagine her in Mercury colors, swapping Satou Sabally for Reese and pairing her with Alyssa Thomas. In the stands, they simply celebrate basketball. And for Angel Reese, that reception left its mark, one that she still carries.

Only a few ovations have ever matched what she felt in Phoenix. Perhaps only New York’s seafoam colored wave (of Liberty supporters bouncing to Ellie the Elephant’s drum) has come close. Elsewhere, though, the reception has often been far colder. Nowhere was that clearer than in Indiana, when her long-running rivalry with Caitlin Clark spilled onto the pro stage. Tensions boiled over further this year when Clark was assessed a flagrant foul for hard contact on Reese.

What followed turned uglier: the league launched an investigation into alleged “hateful fan comments” from Indiana supporters aimed at Angel Reese. The WNBA ultimately found no substantiation, but the damage had been done; that experience left a scar. It’s probably why, when an interviewer asked her to compare fanbases across the league, Angel Reese didn’t bother mentioning Indiana. Instead, she smiled toward the places that embraced her. “These are just straight basketball fans,” she said. “You don’t hear negativity… They always ask me some of the places that I love playing at. Phoenix is always one of them, New York is another one.”

Then her tone deepened, her words heavy with lived experience: “They don’t care about what your mama look like. They just care straight up about basketball – and that’s what you want here. You want a healthy environment.” If anyone else could understand exactly what she meant, it might be DiJonai Carrington. The Fever’s history with Carrington has been equally charged. Back in 2024, Indiana snapped an 11-game skid against Connecticut, and sparks flew.

Caitlin Clark and Carrington traded buckets and gestures. At one point, Carrington tried to hush the Fever crowd, only for Clark to drive right past her for a score. Both finished with 19 points, but the real fire came after the buzzer. Carrington took to social media with a blunt post: “The Indiana Fever have the nastiest fans in the W. ew.” Even DeWanna Bonner could tell you what that energy feels like. Steering away from the bad experiences, just last night, Angel Reese proved yet again what a healthy basketball environment can do.

Angel Reese authored another historic chapter in Phoenix

Angel Reese’s latest performance against the Mercury was nothing short of epic, even if it didn’t end in victory. The Chicago Sky fell just short, 83-79, but the night belonged to Angel Reese. She recorded a double-double with 15 points and a season-high 20 rebounds. Her work on the glass pushed her into No. 5 on Chicago’s all-time rebounding leaderboard. She even surpassed Kahleah Copper’s mark of 800, as noted by Karli Bell on X.

It also marked her fourth career 20-rebound game, passing Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie for No. 4 on the all-time list and tying Jonquel Jones. Only Sylvia Fowles (7) and Tina Charles (5) now stand ahead of her in that category. Beyond the boards, Angel Reese added four assists and two blocks. Chicago, however, struggled to capitalize. Despite a hot start, the Sky trailed by 10 in the third quarter before storming back to tie the game at 71 with three minutes left.

But when Angel Reese’s potential game-tying layup was swatted by Natasha Mack in the closing moments, the whole momentum swung firmly back to Phoenix. Alyssa Thomas sealed it with a spinning finish off the glass, pushing the Mercury out of reach. For Chicago, Kamilla Cardoso chipped in 15 points and seven rebounds, while Kia Nurse led with 17 points off the bench. The Sky shot a sharp 50 percent from deep, but 21 turnovers to just 19 assists proved costly. On the other end, Phoenix thrived behind Kahleah Copper’s 28-point outburst and Thomas’s well-rounded 15 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. It was a painful loss as the Sky have now dropped 16 of their last 18.

But for Angel Reese, the night underscored a larger truth: in a healthy basketball environment, greatness doesn’t go unnoticed. Even in defeat, her name will echo with the weight of history.

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