Once crowned the face of the WNBA by media and fans alike, Angel Reese now finds herself at the center of a voting disaster, social media backlash, and a reckoning with the reality of professional basketball.

There was a time—not long ago—when Angel Reese was treated like the next big thing. A college champion with viral swagger, brand deals, and headlines chasing her every tunnel fit, she arrived in the WNBA to fireworks, fashion, and fame. She told the world she was the reason people were watching women’s basketball.

Now, she’s the reason Twitter is on fire—but not for the reasons she hoped.

When the WNBA All-Star voting results dropped this week, Reese’s name was nowhere to be found among the top 10. In fact, she didn’t even crack the top 12. A social media darling with more followers than field goals, Reese found herself voted one of the least impactful players in the league—by the very fans she once claimed to represent.

And in true Angel fashion, she snapped.

“People Watch Because of Me” — Or Do They?

Reese’s now infamous declaration—“The reason people watch women’s basketball is not just because of one person. It’s because of me too.”—has come back to haunt her. Because this year, fans weren’t buying it.

Her stat line tells the tale. On several nights, she’s put up triple singles—games with single-digit points, rebounds, and assists. She leads the league in rebounds, yes, but critics have dubbed many of them “mebounds”—misses that she rebounds off her own brick-laden shot attempts.

Reese is shooting under 40% as a post player. Her shot selection has been questionable, her defense erratic. Coaches seem to hold their breath when she’s on the floor. And in a recent blowout loss to the Indiana Fever—without Caitlin Clark—Reese posted a quiet four points and two rebounds. No spark. No leadership. Just vibes.

Fans Deliver a Verdict: Hype ≠ All-Star

While media platforms have tried to crown her the queen of the WNBA—Sports Illustrated, ESPN, even Forbes pushing narratives around her cultural impact—fans clearly want something else: production.

Caitlin Clark, in contrast, has been bumped, bruised, and triple-teamed all season—and still delivered highlight passes, logo threes, and must-watch moments. She’s at the top of the All-Star ballot. Reese? Buried at 13th, behind names the league barely promotes.

It was a clear message from the people: performance over PR.

And Reese didn’t take it well.

Social Media Meltdown

On the eve of the All-Star vote tally, Reese took to social media to vent—accusing fans of hating her because she’s “cute,” mocking the term mebounds, and clapping back at those who questioned her legitimacy.

But the timing couldn’t have been worse. The very next game, her box score was a disaster. And the backlash only intensified. Memes. Reaction videos. Analysts openly questioning how someone with so much exposure could contribute so little on the court.

Even some of her defenders grew quiet. The “Barbie” narrative suddenly felt hollow when the game film told a different story.

Humility vs. Hype

To be fair, Reese’s confidence isn’t new. The bravado worked in college. The trash talk. The staredowns. The attitude. But in the WNBA, where grown women fight every night for their spot, the standards are higher.

LeBron James didn’t crown himself. Caitlin Clark hasn’t either. True stars let their play do the talking.

Angel Reese, on the other hand, may have let the talking outpace the play. For all her off-court presence—Met Gala cameos, podcast appearances, fashion photoshoots—her on-court output hasn’t caught up.

And the All-Star snub made that painfully clear.

What Comes Next

Reese still has time. She’s only a rookie. But the league isn’t built on slogans—it’s built on buckets. And unless she starts putting up numbers that match the noise, the gap between hype and reality will only grow.

The All-Star Game is a celebration of the WNBA’s best. Not the loudest. Not the most followed. Not the most stylish. The best. Reese wasn’t voted in because, frankly, she hasn’t been that.

If she wants next year to be different, she’ll need less deflection—and more development.

Because right now, the only thing Angel Reese is leading the league in… is disappointment.