If there’s someone who can sit next to Caitlin Clark, it has to be Angel Reese. Ever since being drafted as the No. 7 overall pick by the Chicago Sky in 2024, she has been as dominant as ever. Whether it’s her double-double streak or her rebounds record as a rookie, Chi-town Barbie has nailed it all. In fact, she is also the WNBA’s rebound leader, averaging 13.1 rebounds per game. But all of this went in vain on September 7. Despite having one of her best games of the season, Reese left the court after 32 minutes of gameplay. She finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 92-78 win for the Chicago Sky. But since then, she hasn’t played at all.

In fact, the Sky’s center missed the last six games, thanks to her season-ending wrist injury. Slowly, rumors began erupting that the league caught her using steroids, and this snowballed into speculations about her getting suspended for the violation. After all, remember how in 2003, forward Rhonda Mapp of the Sparks was dismissed and had to serve a two-year suspension for violating the league’s drug policy? She was the first player the league evicted for a drug policy violation.

Is something similar going on with Reese? Several social media posts and YouTube videos suggest that Angel Reese was suspended, with “MVP Media” being one of them. On October 22, the YouTube channel released a video titled, “Angel Reese’s MELTDOWN After Receiving LIFETIME SUSPENSION from WNBA – She Needs Support!”

However, at this stage, any such claims of her being suspended are mere speculation. There are no official reports or confirmation from the league about Reese using PEDs and her getting suspended. Her Instagram bio still includes a link to her merchandise, with the cover photo featuring her in a Chicago Sky jersey. Even in her last Instagram post after the Liberty’s win, she shared her excitement for the 2024 campaign and the off-season.

“I’m a girls’ girl. In the clurbbbb, we ALL FAM! Congrats to New York Liberty!! This year of women’s basketball was legendary & I’m so glad to be a part of it! Come out & support us again in January in Miami for the @Unrivaledwbb league!! All of your faves together in the yamssss,” read her tweet.

This simply means Unrivaled, set to debut in 2025, is her next destination, and she’s not banned. Moreover, as someone chronically online, Reese has ensured to always be the first to convey her side of things. Be it her injury, HC Teresa Weatherspoon’s firing, or her Unrivalled signing announcement, she has been open about it all. Chi-Town Barbie also expressed that her podcast ‘Unapologetically Angel’ was her way of sharing her thoughts and stories.

Considering that neither she nor the WNBA have stated anything, the rumors hold no weight. So instead, stay tuned for Reese’s comeback after missing the last few games of her rookie season.

Angel Reese: What sidelined her?

It was a left wrist injury she sustained during a game against the LA Sparks. As it was a hairline fracture, she was advised to undergo surgery to avoid getting arthritis at 22. So she made the smart decision to have the surgery, which forced her to sit out for the remainder of the season. The 22-year-old was given a hard cast for four weeks and then a soft cast for two.

After an abrupt end to her rookie season, Reese was spotted attending NFL games and music concerts multiple times during the offseason.

She was even seen battling it out with a rapper on stage. The last episode of her podcast show, ‘Unapologetically Angel’, featured rapper GloRilla. Considering her love for the music industry, all this makes sense.

But still, this does not mean she’s suspended from the WNBA. The center has undoubtedly been a divisive figure on and off the court. Her rebounding s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s are hard to deny, marking her as a quality player. Averaging 13.6 points, a league-high 13.1 rebounds, with 1.9 assists, she’s as impressive as any other player. Since she hasn’t been ‘suspended for life’ as some channels falsely claimed, we can expect her to bounce back, first at Unrivaled, and then for preseason.