Angel Reese says she’d rather pay a fine than talk to media after games

WNBA star Angel Reese appeared on Michelle Obama’s podcast earlier this week and opened up about feeling mistreated by fans and the media towards the former First Lady.

at some point during reportReese admitted that he would rather receive a fine than talk to reporters after games.

Reese said, “The media hasn’t always been great to me. I’m going to get fined, too. Especially in the WNBA, I’m going to get fined. I’m going to get fined before I go to the media and put my back against the wall,” while Obama expressed his approval by repeatedly saying “mhm” and “yeah.”

WNBA players must present the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed weeks ago to the media after the game so that the players can receive higher salaries.

Failure to comply with these rules may result in fines such as a $10,000 fine for skipping required sessions.

CLICK HERE TO GET MORE SPORTS NEWS ON FOXNEWS.COM

Obama’s brother and former college basketball player Craig Robinson, one of the podcast’s hosts, told Reese during the interview that the sports media is trying to “manufacture some things.”

“Sports is like reality TV. The media wants to produce things. And I want you to know that I noticed how you handled yourself, and it was definitely with confidence,” Robinson said.

Reese later said he likes to turn off his phone when he gets home these days, after Obama asked him how he stays sane.

“I like to come home, turn off my phone, and relax,” Reese said. “I guess the maturity of understanding social media is unreal… years ago I would have responded to things and let things continue to bother me.”

CAITLIN CLARK RETURNS TO WNBA COMPETITION IN 2025 AFTER INJURY IN PRE-FIRE GAME

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese walks the court during the second half of a WNBA game against the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena on September 3, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)

Reese claimed she couldn’t even go to the grocery store anymore.

Obama previously commented on the attention surrounding Reese and her longtime rival Caitlin Clark in a podcast last year.

During an appearance in August podcast “All the Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson,” Obama said during a group discussion about the impact of the Clark-Reese drama on the WNBA’s popularity, players’ welfare and “hate.”

“I think it’s the social media element that’s difficult. But it’s generally true. I mean, we talked about this on our show; it’s just a normal occurrence. These little kids today, what they have to go through, what they have to endure, because social media is such a big part of the world,” Obama said.

“Hate is there. But now hate is in your room, on your phone, with you all the time. And for whatever reason, you can’t tell these kids to shut down, because that’s how they make their living. So, now they’re expected to be busy. So, I think that makes it feel even worse. But as you point out, I think it happens across genders in sports. It’s even harder not to rely on other people’s terrible, terrible ideas.”

Like his brother, Obama previously compared ESPN to reality TV during an episode of his brother’s “IMO” podcast in July.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

Michelle Obama speaks on stage during a taping of the “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson” podcast at the 2025 SXSW Conference and Festival on March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Julia Beverly/WireImage)

“It’s all a sociological study. They think sports are better than reality TV, so I said, ‘It’s the same thing.’ If I listen to ESPN for an hour, it’s like I’m watching ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ you know?” Obama said. “It’s the same drama, they’re yelling at each other and they can’t get along, you know?”

Follow Fox News Digital Sports streaming on Xand subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.