WNBA changes media policy — Angel Reese immediately receives exemption from media availability

The WNBA changed its media policy to allow teams to exempt players from media availability in certain situations.

All players were previously obligated to speak with journalists after morning shootaround sessions several hours before their game. However, it has been reported that teams are now allowed to exempt two players from media availability at that time.

Chicago sports reporter Josh Frydman noted on X that WNBA team Chicago Sky noted that they would immediately use the new rule to exempt star rookie Angel Reese along with Brazilian Kamilla Cardoso.

“The Sky weekly media availability comes with this note: ‘Per a change in the WNBA Media Season Access policy, two players from each team can be exempt from all shootaround media availabilities. Angel Reese & Kamilla Cardoso are exempt.'”

Frydman later clarified that the players are still available before the game.

“Reese and Cardoso are exempt from game day shootaround interviews, but can still be made available pregame on the court (usually 90 minutes before tip).”

— (@)

‘I know how y’all like to twist my words … I can’t trust any of y’all.’

Reese was fined in early June 2024 for breaking media availability rules. She was supposed to be available to in-person media outside the locker room, according to CBS, and was likely avoiding questions surrounding her team’s aggressive play toward the league’s new superstar Caitlin Clark.

Fellow Sky player Chennedy Carter was also being asked repeatedly about a flagrant foul she committed on Clark:

“It happened … it’s over with, I don’t know why we’re dragging it,” Carter said at a June 3 press conference.

That foul was seen as heinous by fans, even resulting in Republican Congressman Jim Banks sending a letter to the commissioner of the WNBA asking what steps the league was taking to curb “excessive physical targeting” of players.

Later that same month, Reese told media members that she didn’t trust reporters.

“I know how y’all like to twist my words, so I’m just keeping it short and sweet,” Reese said, according to Outkick. “I can’t trust any of y’all, so I’m just letting you know — short and sweet,” she added..

Clark has faced consistent pushes from media members during shootaround to condemn racism and misogyny, and she simply stated that she didn’t like the idea of anyone using her name to push narratives.

Other players have theorized that young white women in the league receive more positive attention because they are more “feminine.”

The Mirror noted that while a WNBA official confirmed “pregame and postgame media availability stays the same,” the pregame interviews are usually in group situations as opposed to one-on-one.

The outlet also reported that it has experienced inconsistent implementation of pregame media accessibility guidelines when players who were allegedly set to appear for media questions did not show up.

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