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WNBA star Angel Reese appeared on Michelle Obama’s podcast earlier this week and opened up about feeling mistreated by fans and the media with the former first lady.
At one point during the interview, Reese admitted that he would rather accept a fine than speak to reporters after games.
“The media hasn’t always been good to me. And I’ll take a fine. I’ll take a fine, especially in a WNBA. I’ll take a fine before I have to go to the media and feel like my back is against the wall,” Reese said, as Obama repeatedly expressed his agreement by saying “mhm” and “yeah.”
WNBA players are required by their collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which was signed a few weeks ago so players can earn higher salaries, to be available to the media after the game.
Failure to follow these rules can result in fines, such as a $10,000 fine for skipping mandatory sessions.
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Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese reacts after receiving a foul from Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in May as Michelle Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20, 2024. (Getty Images)
Obama’s brother and former college basketball player Craig Robinson, co-host of the podcast, told Reese during the interview that the sports media tries to “fabricate some things.”
“Sports are like reality shows. The media wants to fabricate some things. And I just want you to know that I noticed how you handled yourself and it was absolutely with poise,” Robinson said.
Reese later went on to say that nowadays she likes to turn off her phone when she gets home after Obama asked her how she stays sane.
“I love being able to come home, turn off my phone and just relax,” Reese said. “I think the maturity of just understanding that social media isn’t real…years before I would comment on things and let them continue to bother me.”
CAITLIN CLARK RETURN TO WNBA COMPETITION AFTER 2025 INJURY IN FEVER PRESEASON GAME
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese walks court during the second half of a WNBA game against the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois, on September 3, 2025. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)
Reese went on to claim that he can’t even “go to the grocery store” anymore.
Obama previously commented on the attention surrounding Reese and his longtime rival, Caitlin Clark, in a podcast appearance last year.
During an appearance in August at the podcast “All the smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson,” Obama spoke during a group discussion about the impact of the Clark-Reese drama on the popularity of the WNBA, the impact on player well-being and the “hate” involved.
“I think what’s difficult is the social media element. But that’s true across the board. I mean, we’ve talked about this on our show; it’s just a normal thing. These young people today, what they have to go through, what they have to be able to endure, because social media is a huge part of the world,” Obama said.
“There’s the hate. But now the hate is in your room, on your phone, with you all the time. And you can’t, for whatever reason, tell these kids to turn it off, because that’s how they make their living. I mean, now they’re expected to stay engaged. So, I think that makes it feel even worse. But I think, as you point out, that’s happening in sports of all genres. It’s harder not to put up with other people’s horrible, horrible opinions.”
Obama, like his brother, also previously compared ESPN to reality TV during an episode of his brother’s “IMO” podcast in July.
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Michelle Obama speaks on stage during a taping of the “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson” podcast at the SXSW 2025 Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas, on March 13, 2025. (Julia Beverly/WireImage)
“It’s a whole sociological study. They think sports are better reality shows, and I’m like, ‘It’s the same thing.’ If I listen to ESPN for an hour, it’s like watching ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ you know?” Obama said. “It’s the same drama, they yell at each other and don’t get along, you know?”
