Angel Reese SNUBBED: Fans, Media, and WNBA Players Deliver a Cold Reality Check — She’s No Caitlin Clark

In one of the most shocking developments of the 2024 WNBA season, Angel Reese — once hailed as a future face of women’s basketball — has been completely shut out of the WNBA All-Star Game. Not only did she fail to secure a starting spot, but she also didn’t make the reserve list, landing at a distant 13th in total votes. The message from fans, players, and the media is loud and clear: hype doesn’t equal greatness.

This snub comes after a months-long campaign that positioned Reese as a major rising star. Forbes magazine crowned her “co-face of the WNBA” alongside Caitlin Clark. Her social media presence exploded. She was the darling of feature stories, trending topics, and press events. And yet, when the actual votes came in — from fans, journalists, and even fellow players — Reese was nowhere to be found.

Despite practically begging fans on social media to vote, Reese only managed to rack up just over 500,000 votes — a decent number, but nowhere near Caitlin Clark’s 1.3 million, who topped the charts without even campaigning. Clark’s dominance in both gameplay and fan engagement starkly contrasted Reese’s situation, proving that on-court performance trumps internet fame every time.

Let’s talk stats. Reese is averaging 11.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, with a shooting percentage of just 38.9%. That might seem serviceable at first glance, but it’s a noticeable decline from last season. For a 6’3″ forward expected to dominate the paint, those numbers scream “average starter” at best. Her signature rebounding — once her strongest asset — has also taken a dip. In a league demanding excellence, these aren’t All-Star numbers.

Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark is filling up stat sheets, generating viral moments, and packing arenas coast to coast. She didn’t need a flashy media push or a pleading online campaign — her game did the talking, and the fans responded.

The brutal part for Reese? It wasn’t just fans who looked elsewhere. The media, who once elevated her every move, left her off the ballots entirely. USA Today’s Megan Hall, who had previously championed Reese’s rise, excluded her from her All-Star list. Sports Illustrated did the same. These are the same outlets that once portrayed her as a generational talent — and now, they’ve gone silent.

Why? Because when it came time to vote, Reese’s numbers didn’t hold up. Her All-Star campaign highlighted a growing disconnect: a massive online following and glossy reputation, but little impact where it truly matters — on the court.

And fans noticed. Many took to social media not to defend Reese, but to call out the flawed narrative that built her up. “Baby GOAT over Baby Giraffe,” one viral post read, referring to Clark outperforming Reese. Others mocked the notion that Reese was ever in the same league. The voting wasn’t rigged — it was revealing.

More telling, perhaps, is how this saga exposed the media machine behind Reese. The WNBA and various publications leaned heavily into her image, hoping she could bring in younger audiences and viral attention. And for a while, it worked. But the All-Star snub proves a hard truth: you can’t fake elite performance.

As media attention shifts toward players delivering consistent, game-changing results, Reese now finds herself at a crossroads. Will she use this moment as fuel to elevate her game, prove the critics wrong, and reclaim her spotlight — or will she fade into the background, remembered more for magazine covers than actual impact?

This All-Star voting cycle wasn’t just a rejection — it was a reckoning. The WNBA has made it clear: the league rewards production, leadership, and consistent performance. If Reese wants to regain the spotlight, she’ll need to do more than trend — she’ll have to dominate.

The silence from the media speaks volumes. The votes are in. The fans have spoken. The players have spoken. And for now, Angel Reese is on the outside looking in.