Tuesday night’s game between the Connecticut Sun and the Atlanta Dream featured a high-profile showdown between post players Brittney Griner and Angel Reese. However, things got a little physical between the two stars in the fourth quarter.
While the game itself was quite lopsided as the Dream defeated the Sun by a final score of 91-75, there was a bit of an altercation between Griner and Reese to add intrigue late in the contest.
Brittney Griner Flagrant Foul
With 7:43 left to play in the fourth quarter, Griner and Reese both battled for a rebound. As the two players grasped for the ball, the two players got tangled up as Griner’s arm caught Reese across the neck. As a result, Reese fell hard to the floor. Officials then went to the monitor and whistled Griner for a flagrant 1 foul.
The good news is that there were clearly no hard feelings between the two players as Griner immediately reached down and helped Reese to her feet. Despite going to the floor hard, Reese was unharmed on the play, and ended up splitting a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession.
Griner will now face punishment from the league as a result of the flagrant foul, because under the 2026 CBA, a Flagrant 1 results in a $500 fine for the offending player.
Reese finished the game with a double-double for Atlanta, finishing with 12 points and 13 rebounds along with five assists. Griner, meanwhile, finished the game with seven points, four rebounds and three assists.
Almost Teammates
Despite the on-court incident, Griner and Reese were actually almost teammates.
Reese, of course, joined the team during the offseason by way of a trade with the Chicago Sky. At the time, Griner actually even welcomed her new teammate to the Dream, but the star-powered frontcourt never actually materialized.
Shortly after Reese joined the roster, she opted to leave the team and instead sign with the Connecticut Sun. The move comes just before the team relocates to Houston, where Griner was born and raised.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.