1 month ago
NEWYou tin now perceive to Fox News articles!
WNBA prima Angel Reese appeared connected Michelle Obama's podcast earlier this week, and opened up astir emotion mistreated by fans and nan media pinch nan erstwhile first lady.
At 1 constituent during the interview, Reese admitted she would alternatively return a good than speak to reporters aft games.
"The media has not ever been awesome for me. And I'll return a fine. I'll drawback a fine, particularly successful a WNBA. I'll person a good earlier I person to spell to media and consciousness for illustration my backmost is against nan wall," Reese said, while Obama many times expressed statement by saying "mhm," and "yeah."
WNBA players are required by their corporate bargaining statement (CBA), which was conscionable signed weeks agone truthful players tin get higher salaries, to beryllium disposable to nan media post-game.
Failure to adhere to these rules tin lead to fines, specified arsenic a $10,000 good for skipping required sessions.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Chicago Sky guardant Angel Reese reacts aft being fouled by Indiana Fever defender Caitlin Clark successful May arsenic Michelle Obama speaks during nan Democratic National Convention astatine nan United Center successful Chicago, Ill., connected Aug. 20, 2024. (Getty Images)
Obama's relative and erstwhile college basketball subordinate Craig Robinson, who co-hosts nan podcast, told Reese during nan question and reply that nan sports media tries to "manufacture immoderate stuff."
"Sports is for illustration reality TV. The media wants to manufacture immoderate stuff. And I conscionable want you to cognize that I noticed really you’ve handled yourself and it has been perfectly pinch aplomb," Robinson said.
Reese later went connected to opportunity that she nowadays likes to move her telephone disconnected erstwhile she comes location aft Obama asked her really she stays sane.
"I emotion being capable conscionable to travel location and move my telephone disconnected and conscionable relax," Reese said. "I deliberation nan maturity of conscionable knowing for illustration societal media isn't real... years anterior I would comment backmost astatine things and fto things proceed to fuss me."
CAITLIN CLARK RETURNS TO WNBA COMPETITION AFTER 2025 INJURY IN FEVER PRESEASON GAME
Chicago Sky guardant Angel Reese walks connected nan tribunal during nan 2nd half of a WNBA crippled against nan Connecticut Sun astatine Wintrust Arena successful Chicago, Ill., connected Sept. 3, 2025. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)
Reese went connected to declare that she can't moreover "go to nan market store" anymore.
Obama antecedently commented connected nan attraction surrounding Reese and her longtime rival Caitlin Clark successful a podcast quality past year.
During an August quality connected the podcast "All nan Smoke pinch Matt Barnes & Stephen Jackson," Obama said during a group chat astir nan effect of nan Clark-Reese play connected nan WNBA's popularity, nan effect connected nan players' well-beings and "hate" involved.
"I deliberation nan reliable point is nan societal media constituent to it. But that's existent crossed nan board. I mean, we've talked astir this connected our show; it conscionable takes a normal occurrence. These young kids today, what they person to spell through, what they person to beryllium capable to withstand, because social media is specified a immense portion of nan world," Obama said.
"There's nan hate. But now nan dislike is successful your room, connected your phone, pinch you each nan time. And you can't, for immoderate reason, show these kids to move it off, because they're making their surviving that way. I mean, now they are expected to enactment engaged. So, I deliberation that makes it consciousness moreover worse. But I think, arsenic you constituent out, that's happening successful sports crossed gender. It's conscionable harder not to withstand different people's horrible, horrible opinions."
Obama, for illustration her brother, besides antecedently compared ESPN to reality TV during an section of her brother's podcast "IMO" successful July.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Michelle Obama speaks onstage during a signaling of nan "IMO pinch Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson" podcast astatine nan 2025 SXSW Conference and Festival successful Austin, Texas, connected March 13, 2025. (Julia Beverly/WireImage)
"It’s each a sociological study. They deliberation that sports is amended reality TV, I’m like, ‘It’s nan aforesaid thing.' If I perceive to ESPN for an hour, it’s for illustration watching nan ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ you know?" Obama said. "It’s nan aforesaid drama, and they’re yelling astatine each other, and they don’t get along, you know?"
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Jackson Thompson is simply a sports newsman for Fox News Digital covering captious governmental and taste issues successful sports, pinch an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited successful national authorities actions related to nan enforcement of Title IX, and successful bequest media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
