Angel Reese Has Strong-Worded Response for Critique Over Met Gala Attendance

The professional basketball player reminded detractors that ‘women don’t have to be one-dimensional.’

Angel Reese / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Angel Reese is no stranger to unwarranted criticism. However, the 22-year-old professional basketball player never lets trolls get her down—and she’s often got a strongly-worded, wise response at the ready.

The latest instance of critique came shortly after the Chicago Sky player attended the Met Gala on Monday, May 6 (which just so happened to also be her birthday) after a morning practice with her teammates. Since the Sky faced off against the New York Liberty in a pre-season game the following day, some detractors claimed that since Reese attended the high-fashion event, she didn’t have her head in the game.

Reese, who donned a stunning 16Arlington by Marco Capaldo gown for Hollywood’s hottest night in fashion, addressed the matter during a press conference following the Sky’s 101-53 victory on May 7.

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“A lot of people told me I shouldn’t have went to the Met Gala, I wasn’t going to be focused playing against the runner-ups, and I went to the Met Gala, slayed the Met Gala in New York, came back, slayed against New York, like, it’s what I do,” Reese, who was featured in the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue, confidently stated. “I mean, I’m not one-dimensional. Women don’t have to be one-dimensional. They don’t have to do one thing.”

In the moment that has since gone viral, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft went on to say that she has no problem prioritizing her life. “You got to maximize your 24 hours,” she advised.