WNBA Drama Heats Up as Kate Martin Blocks Angel Reese in Intense Matchup

The WNBA season may have just begun, but tensions are already running high. In a fiery debut matchup, former Iowa Hawkeye Kate Martin made a bold statement against Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese—both physically and verbally—after delivering a powerful block on Reese’s layup attempt. The emphatic rejection quickly went viral, sparking heated debates among fans and analysts alike.

Never one to shy away from confrontation, Reese was visibly frustrated following the block and the ensuing trash talk. After the game, she didn’t mince words, calling Martin’s actions “disrespectful” and accusing her of crossing a line.

“This is the pros, not college,” Reese said. “I get competition, I get rivalries, but the way she came at me was straight-up disrespectful. The league needs to handle it.”

When asked whether she believed Martin should face disciplinary action, Reese doubled down.

“If she’s gonna play like that, then yeah. We don’t need that energy here. There’s a difference between being competitive and being outright disrespectful,” she added.

Angel Reese, Kate Martin Clash Again in Unrivaled League Matchup

The drama between the two rising stars didn’t end on the WNBA court. Reese and Martin took their rivalry to Miami, Florida, where they are both competing in the inaugural season of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league.

On Monday night, Martin’s Laces Basketball Club defeated Reese’s Rose Basketball Club 71-64 in a highly anticipated showdown. The tension between the two flared again late in the first quarter. With under a minute remaining and Laces leading 13-12, Reese drove to the hoop, only to be met in midair by Martin, who fouled her hard. Reese crashed to the floor, missed the shot, but made her one free throw attempt, worth two points in Unrivaled.

Fans React to the Heated Moment

WNBA and Unrivaled fans quickly took to social media to weigh in on the incident.

“OMG, Kate almost sent Barbie back to the bayou,” one fan commented.
“No way in hell does Angel Reese score on this if Martin doesn’t foul her…completely out of control,” another wrote.
“Kate low-key revenge fouling Angel,” speculated a third.
“What a flop,” added another.
“Kate has history with Angel…,” a fifth user noted.

With emotions running high early in the season, all eyes will be on the next meeting between Martin and Reese, as their budding rivalry continues to captivate fans across both leagues.