In what will almost certainly go down as one of the most unforgettable—and unforgivable—moments in professional sports, Chicago Sky standout Angel Reese experienced a meltdown on the court so jarring that critics argue it has “set women’s basketball back a generation.” Over the span of a mere 15 seconds, Reese secured four offensive rebounds and missed four consecutive layup attempts, leaving fans and analysts alike aghast, social media in uproar, and the league’s credibility momentarily in tatters. As the clip exploded online, pundits questioned not only Reese’s fundamentals but also the state of the WNBA and the broader future of women’s sports.

The Play: How 15 Seconds Became Infamy

The setting was a nationally televised matchup between the Chicago Sky and the New York Liberty at Wintrust Arena. Late in the first quarter, with the Sky trailing by a handful, Reese swooped in for her first offensive rebound. From that moment, what should have been a routine put-back spiraled into a train wreck:

Missed Layup No. 1 (11:12 left in Q1):
Reese grabbed a pass from the wing and rose under the basket. Instead of a simple roll to the rim, her shot clanked hard off the backboard.

Missed Layup No. 2 (11:06 left):
Unfazed—or so it seemed—Reese crashed the glass again, secured a second offensive board, and immediately went up for another easy scoop. It, too, failed to find the bottom of the net.

Missed Layup No. 3 (11:00 left):
On her third rebound in seven seconds, Reese attempted a left-handed finish in traffic. The ball slipped through her fingers, rolling off the rim.

Missed Layup No. 4 (10:57 left):
Within three seconds, Reese hauled in her fourth offensive board in less than 15 seconds and once more rose for a close-range bucket…only to miss yet again, this time catching an edge on the rim.

By the time she stepped back, dazed and frustrated, the Liberty had transformed a potential momentum-shifting sequence into their own fuel. Opposing coach Dawn Staley later ridiculed the sequence as “a basketball clinic gone horribly wrong,” while onlookers gasped at how quickly an NBA-style highlight could devolve into a blooper reel.

“I don’t know what happened,” Reese told reporters afterward, adjusting her headband.
“I felt strong, I had position—then it just wasn’t going in. I’ve got to dust myself off. It’s a bad night, but I’ll move on.”

In Fox–style fashion, let’s not mince words: that was more than a “bad night.” That was an embarrassment of historic proportions.

Immediate Fallout: Social Media Erupts

Within seconds of the fourth miss, the ESPN broadcast cut to a stunned studio panel, but it was too late—the clip was already trending:

“NEW: This belongs in the ‘Blooper of the Year’ reel,” tweeted one viral sports account.

“Worst sequence I’ve ever seen at any level of basketball,” fumed a Fox Sports analyst on-air.

“Is this 1998 or 2024? Jesus Christ, how do you miss that many layups?!?” wrote another X user, summing up a sentiment shared by tens of thousands of fans.

Even viewers unfamiliar with the WNBA knew they were witnessing something painful. The hashtags #ReeseFail, #WNBABlooper, and #BringBack1998 trended within minutes—an ironic nod to the suggestion that such a moment would have been inconceivable in the league’s prime years.

“I thought women’s basketball had evolved,” posted one critic.
“But tonight, it felt like a step back into the ‘set shot’ era.”

Context: Angel Reese’s Track Record vs. One Horrific Sequence

Despite what might seem like a career-defining meltdown, it’s crucial to remember that Angel Reese is no novice. At 6’2” with a relentless motor, she dominated collegiate basketball at LSU—averaging 18.5 points and 10.7 rebounds as a senior and winning a national championship. In her rookie season with the Sky, Reese has posted several impressive double-doubles and been a force on the glass, earning a spot on the WNBA All-Rookie team.

“She’s given us a reason to hope,” said Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon before the game.
“Angel’s hustle and skill are real. Tonight is just an exception.”

But for all her strengths, a glaring statistic has dogged Reese throughout her pro career: her layup conversion rate. According to league tracking, Reese has made just 42 percent of her attempts at the rim—one of the lowest rates among frontcourt players. The Liberty sequence simply exposed that inefficiency in a painfully public way.

“At times, she looks like a star,” noted former WNBA All-Star Diana Taurasi.
“Then, in moments like tonight, you see why some fundamentals need work.”

Analysts Sound the Alarm: “The League Can’t Afford Moments Like This”

For years, the WNBA has worked to elevate its profile—securing national TV deals, boosting attendance, and developing a stable pipeline of talent. Moments like Reese’s 15-second meltdown, however, threaten to undermine that progress.

Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless was particularly unforgiving:

“I don’t say this lightly, but this sequence was an embarrassment,” Bayless exclaimed on his webcast.
“It sets the WNBA back by 25 years—back to a time when people laughed at women’s basketball. That’s not hyperbole. Fans tuned in to see elite athletes. Instead, they saw clowns.”

The sentiment, however extreme, reflects genuine concern. A single viral clip can shape perceptions—especially among casual viewers. If the WNBA is to continue its upward trajectory, it must ensure its stars can deliver on the basics: making layups, running crisp offenses, and minimizing mistakes that reinforce old stereotypes.

Fans Divided: Sympathizers vs. Hardliners

As one might expect, social media became a battleground of opinions:

Sympathizers argue that one sequence shouldn’t define a player’s entire body of work, especially a rookie who’s still learning.

Hardliners insist that a league aspiring to mainstream legitimacy cannot tolerate such lapses—especially not on prime-time television.

“We’ve all had off nights,” wrote one fan.
“Let’s give Angel a break.”

“Break? You watched four missed layups in 11 seconds,” countered another.
“This isn’t ‘breaking’—it’s a funeral.”

Even some WNBA veterans weighed in. Sky teammate Kamilla Cardoso—the team’s other rookie star—chimed on Instagram:

“We all see the clip. We know it stings. But I believe in Angel. She’ll bounce back.”

Historical Comparisons: Has Anything Rivaled This Blooper?

To find a parallel, one must dig into decades-old archives. In 1989, Long Beach State guard Alisa Burr missed three consecutive layups in a Pac-10 game—an oddity but hardly one that went viral beyond local news. Fast-forward to the early 2000s, and Kobe Bryant had his share of cold stretches, but even those performances are measured against his career Hall of Fame credentials.

“If Shaq missed four layups in a row, you plug it into a montage with his 36 points,” says sports historian Doug Feinstein.
“But here, because of lingering biases about women’s sports, one bad stretch can overshadow everything else.”

That’s the crux of the controversy: this wasn’t just a “blooper”. It was a spectacle that reignited old debates about whether the WNBA is “worthy” of prime-time billing. When a player of Reese’s caliber can look so inept at the rim, critics quickly quote inflationary headlines: “Women’s Basketball Regresses!” “Not Ready for the Big Stage!”

WNBA’s Response: Coaches, Teammates, and League Officials Weigh In

After the game, coach Teresa Weatherspoon offered a supportive message:

“Angel’s human. She’s going to get outlined and criticized for one series. But I’ve seen her work ethic. She’ll be fine.”

Yet league commissioner Cathy Engelbert, asked about the fallout, emphasized the WNBA’s standards:

“We expect excellence,” Engelbert said in a brief phone interview.
“Tonight’s sequence is unfortunate, but it doesn’t define Angel or our league. We’ll continue to develop players and hold them to the highest level of performance.”

Still, behind closed doors, league officials are restless. One senior executive told Fox News:

“We can’t have our stars go viral for clowns’ shoes. That undermines sponsorship deals, broadcast trust, and fan faith. We need a Plan B—strategies to boost fundamentals.”

Looking Ahead: Can the WNBA Recover?

The remainder of the Sky’s season—and indeed, the entire WNBA schedule—now exists under the shadow of Angel Reese’s meltdown. Will fans tune out? Or will they stay invested in a league that has, only in recent years, begun to eclipse attendance figures and TV ratings that once lagged far behind the NBA G League?

Key considerations:

Player Development: Emphasizing training on basic layup techniques, particularly for high-usage post players.

Media Management: Crafting narratives that highlight resilience rather than sensationalize failures.

Fan Engagement: Encouraging supporters to see players as evolving athletes—not one-dimensional entertainers.

“If the WNBA can harness the reaction and turn it into teachable moments, they’ll emerge stronger,” suggests sports business consultant Linda Nash.
“Otherwise, we risk being a footnote in sports history.”

Angel Reese: Redemption Roadmap

For Reese, the path forward is clear yet daunting. She must show:

Immediate Improvement: Converting close-range attempts in practice, dropping private videos confronting the error, demonstrating her work ethic.

Accountability: Publicly acknowledging the mistake, participating in community clinics—teaching fundamentals to young players who idolize her.

On-Court Resilience: Posting a string of double-doubles to remind critics she is a bona fide talent, not a one-trick pony.

“She’s got the physical tools,” notes veteran NBA scout Marcus Pierce.
“Now it’s about mental toughness. Handling the spotlight and learning from this meltdown.”

Final Word: A Defining Moment for Women’s Basketball

Angel Reese’s 15-second gaffe may be the most embarrassing single sequence in league history, but whether it “sets the WNBA back 25 years” depends on the league’s response—and Reese’s resilience. Criticisms of women’s basketball have lurked in the corners ever since the WNBA’s inception in 1997. Each viral misstep becomes a weapon for detractors who claim that “women just can’t play at that level.”

Yet, if women’s basketball has proven anything, it’s adaptability. From the dominance of the USA National Team to the rise of WNBA icons who transcend sports, this community has proven critics wrong time and again. Now, the challenge is to transform a viral mistake into a comeback story—one that underscores growth, tenacity, and the unbreakable spirit of athletes who are more than a single highlight (or lowlight).

“I felt that sting,” Reese admitted in her candid Instagram video.
“But I’m going to show the world I belong here. If this is rock bottom, then watch me climb back up.”

That statement—bold as it was—captures the essence of what is at stake. This isn’t just Angel Reese’s moment; it’s a test of how the WNBA handles adversity. Success means rallying behind its stars, celebrating resilience, and continuing forward. Failure means letting one brief lapse define an entire league.

For Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, and every player in between, the next chapters will reveal whether women’s basketball is still on an upward arc—or whether one viral gaffe can indeed drag a generation back to the days when critics ruled the headlines.