Angel Reese Praises Alyssa Thomas for Enforcing Flagrant Foul in Intense Game

In a highly contested game, Sky's Angel Reese expressed gratitude towards Sun's Alyssa Thomas for her decisive actions that led to a momentum-shifting flagrant foul call, ultimately contributing to Chicago's victory.

Chicago – In a thrilling and intense matchup between the Chicago Sky and the Connecticut Sun, Angel Reese hailed the impact of Alyssa Thomas's flagrant foul call, which played a pivotal role in the Sky's eventual triumph.

With the game tightly contested in the third quarter, Thomas committed a hard foul on Reese, sending her crashing to the floor. The referees immediately reviewed the play and upgraded the call to a Flagrant 2, resulting in Thomas's ejection.

Reese expressed her appreciation for Thomas's decisive action, acknowledging that it sent a clear message on the court.

"I want to thank Alyssa for that," said Reese. "We're competitors on the court, but we have to protect each other. And I think she sent a message that this is a physical game, but we're not going to tolerate dirty play."

The flagrant foul call shifted the momentum of the game in Chicago's favor. The Sky took advantage of the power play opportunity and pulled away with a comfortable lead.

Sky head coach James Wade echoed Reese's sentiments, praising Thomas for her sportsmanship.

"Alyssa is a great player and a fierce competitor," said Wade. "But she also understands the importance of fair play. She made a tough foul, and she owned up to it. That's what you want to see in this league."

Thomas, who was visibly upset after being ejected, later reached out to Reese to apologize. Reese accepted the apology and emphasized that there was no ill will between them.

"We're both competitors, and we're going to go hard at each other," said Reese. "But at the end of the day, we have respect for each other."

The flagrant foul call not only sparked a rally for the Sky but also served as a reminder of the physicality and intensity that defines the WNBA.

"This league is physical, but it's also clean," said Reese. "We're all out here to compete and to win, but we have to do it the right way."