Basketball fans, brace yourselves, because what Candace Parker just did to Angel Reese’s reputation is nothing short of shocking. While the WNBA’s favorite “Double-Double Queen” has been basking in her statistical glory, one of the greatest to ever play the game called her out in a way that left fans howling in disbelief. Candace Parker’s ranking of Reese as a C-tier player wasn’t just a casual opinion—it was a call to wake up and face a truth nobody wanted to hear.

Candace Parker Takes Aim at Angel Reese

Candace Parker, a seven-time All-Star, two-time MVP, and WNBA legend, has always been respected for her sharp basketball mind. So, when she placed Angel Reese in the C-tier of her player rankings, people were forced to listen—whether they liked it or not. Reese, with her flashy double-doubles and never-ending stats, found herself labeled as just another developing player, not the superstar her fans claimed her to be. But what Parker revealed about Reese’s game was devastating.

For fans who thought double-doubles were the ultimate sign of greatness, Parker threw cold water on that notion. Reese’s impressive stat lines have been hiding a deeper truth—one that every WNBA insider has known for a while. It’s not about the numbers; it’s about how those numbers contribute to winning. And when it comes to that, Angel Reese falls short.

Double-Doubles Aren’t Enough When You’re Losing

Reese has often been praised for her ability to rack up double-doubles, but what Parker highlighted is that these statistics are deceiving. While fans have cheered for Reese’s rebounding and scoring, they’ve ignored the glaring fact that her team’s performance has been disastrous. The Chicago Sky have repeatedly underperformed with Reese as the centerpiece, and her individual accomplishments haven’t translated into victories. In fact, the team’s success rate actually improves when Reese plays fewer minutes—a reality that has become impossible to ignore.

Reese’s double-doubles might look impressive in the box score, but when the final buzzer sounds, those numbers haven’t been enough to help her team win the game. Games that should have been winnable have slipped away as turnovers and poor decision-making plagued her performance. It’s one thing to grab rebounds; it’s another to lose the ball in crucial moments. And that’s exactly what Reese has been doing: handing possessions to the opposition.

The Nine-Turnover Nightmare: A Devastating Blow

Everything came crashing down during one of the most embarrassing games of Reese’s career—a nine-turnover performance against the Minnesota Lynx. This wasn’t a case of being outplayed by a superior defender; no, these were unforced errors. Bad passes, sloppy decisions, and the kind of mistakes that you expect to see in high school basketball—not from a player who is supposed to be leading a professional team.

This game marked the beginning of the downfall of Angel Reese’s inflated reputation. It was proof that all the numbers she’s been accumulating were masking a fundamental flaw in her game: her inability to protect the basketball under pressure. Opponents soon caught on, and coaches began designing specific plays to force Reese into bad situations, knowing she would likely crack.

The Deceptive Hype of Angel Reese

Here’s the uncomfortable truth that Candace Parker has exposed: Angel Reese’s marketing might be brilliant, but her actual impact on the game is not. From her “Double-Double Barbie” persona to her flashy social media presence, Reese has become a media darling. But no amount of branding can cover up the fact that when it matters most, she falls short. The media has been selling a story of a superstar in the making, but the reality on the court tells a very different tale.

The WNBA might have tried to build a rivalry between Reese and Caitlyn Clark to drive engagement, but what the league missed was that Clark elevates her team. She’s a player who makes everyone around her better—something Reese has yet to prove she can do. While Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, has a genuine shot at becoming a championship contender, the Chicago Sky’s future looks murky at best with Reese as their cornerstone.

Reese as a Role Player, Not a Star

Candace Parker didn’t just criticize Reese; she made a crucial point: for a player to truly be elite, they must be able to lead their team and carry them to victories. Angel Reese, no matter how talented she is in certain areas, hasn’t shown the ability to do that. Her role is limited, and it’s a role that doesn’t translate to the success of a championship-caliber team. In a system that prioritizes teamwork, ball movement, and decision-making under pressure, Reese’s flaws have been exposed.

Her game is flashy, but it’s also full of holes. While she may be fantastic at offensive rebounding, the other areas of her game, especially her turnovers and decision-making under pressure, make her a liability rather than an asset. The more you watch, the clearer it becomes: Angel Reese is not the player who will lead her team to the promised land.

The Future of WNBA: Can Reese Ever Be a Champion?

As more analysts and fans started backing Parker’s assessment, the bigger question arose: Can Angel Reese ever be a true superstar, or is she destined to be a role player forever? Statistics are easy to manipulate, but when the game is on the line, it’s the players who can impact winning that matter the most. And right now, Angel Reese is not that player.

While other teams, like the Fever, are building around true game-changers like Caitlyn Clark, the Chicago Sky are still stuck in a cycle of disappointment with Reese at the helm. Can they ever break free from this “Reese problem,” or are they doomed to waste seasons building around a player who can’t get them to the top?

The harsh truth is undeniable: Reese might be a star on paper, but her performances haven’t translated to meaningful team success. Until she can prove that she can be more than just a stat-padder, her place in the league’s hierarchy will always be in question.

Candace Parker’s brutally honest evaluation might have hurt Reese’s fans, but it’s a wake-up call that the WNBA—and basketball fans—needed to hear. The question is: will Angel Reese rise to the occasion, or will her legacy be forever tainted by empty stats and missed opportunities?