Sophie Cunningham Comes To Angel Reese’s Defense as WNBA Finals Fallout Sparks Fresh Debate

Sophie Cunningham responds to criticism surrounding Angel Reese© Instagram/sophie_cham

Sophie Cunningham did not pile on after Angel Reese's rough finish to the WNBA Finals. She pointed to the film instead. On Monday's episode of her “No Hesitation” podcast, the Indiana Fever guard and co-host Drew Hanlen broke down Reese's last four games against the Golden State Valkyries and kept landing on one shot. Reese looked like a Finals MVP early, then went quiet as Atlanta lost in seven. The Dream led the series 2-1 before it slipped away. Her co-host brought the numbers, and they are rough. Cunningham thinks the answer is simple.

What Did Sophie Cunningham Say About Angel Reese's Finals Struggles?

Hanlen opened with the box scores. Reese had 30 points and 16 rebounds in Game 2 and 21 points in Game 3. Then came 8, 7, 15 and 8. Across Games 4 through 7, he counted 19 turnovers against 12 made field goals. She shot 12 for 42, or 28 percent, over that stretch. He also did not see the intensity in Game 7 he had seen earlier in the playoffs, and Atlanta lost 68-63. In his words, “Angel was dominant in their wins and was non-existent in their losses.”

Cunningham wanted context. She asked whether the misses came in the paint, since Reese rarely shoots threes. Hanlen played a clip reel to answer. “They're just all layups,” he said. Cunningham joked that comedian Theo Von would have fun with the footage, then went back to her main point. “She was dominant because she was making these,” she said.

Can Reese Fix Her Finishing Before Next Season?

Hanlen sees the fix as motivation. Reese has worked on her three-point shot and her free throws, he said, but “it comes down to layups.” He also noticed her complaining to officials after misses, picking up a couple of technicals and sometimes skipping the run back in transition. Reese did take aim at the referees after the series ended.

Cunningham stayed on the physical side. Reese is tall and strong, she said, and she gets those shots all the time. Finishing them comes down to focus. “I'm not saying anything no one has said,” she added.

Reese, a three-time All-Star, plans to spend the offseason in Florida working on her game. Cunningham has her own summer decision. She hits free agency and could re-sign with Indiana or look elsewhere for 2027.