The WNBA announced on Monday, May 19, that it would be investigating allegations of hateful and racist speech directed toward Chicago Sky forward player Angel Reese. The alleged incident reportedly happened during a game on Sunday, May 18, which also saw a heated exchange between Reese and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
Here’s what we know went down: During the third quarter of the game, which took place in the Fever’s home arena, Clark fouled Reese in order to prevent a layup. Reese then tried to confront Clark, and the two were kept apart by Fever center Aliyah Boston. Clark’s foul was upgraded to a Flagrant Foul Penalty 1, and Reese and Boston were both given technical fouls as well. It is unclear whether this incident — namely, Reese confronting Clark — is what sparked the alleged racial slurs from fans.
A statement from the WNBA said of the alleged hate speech, “The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.” The Indiana Fever also released a statement from CEO Mel Raines, who said, “We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct during yesterday’s game and we are working closely with the WNBA to complete their investigation.”
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 18, 2025
Clark and her fellow teammates have come out in support of the WNBA’s investigation as well. Clark said to ESPN on Monday, “There’s no place for that in our game, no place for that in society, and certainly, we want every person who comes into our arena — whether player or fan — to have a great experience. I appreciate the league doing that [investigation]. I appreciate that the Fever organization has been at the forefront of that.”
This was not the first time Clark has commented on this issue — she called out online racism to her fellow players within the league in September 2024, saying, “Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism — hurtful, disrespectful, hateful comments and threats. Those aren’t fans, those are trolls, and it’s a real disservice to the people in our league, the organization, the WNBA.”
Boston also commented on the current investigation as well, saying, “No type of hate is ever welcomed here. As a player you just have to stay strong and be able to call it out if something happens.”
The WNBA has already begun attempts to address racism with its “No Space for Hate” campaign that seeks to address prejudice and discrimination both online and in-person. Many players, however, are waiting to see what tangible action comes out of the campaign beyond just words.