ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 16: Angel Reese 5 of Atlanta reacts during the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream on August 16th, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA. Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 16 Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260816018
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 16: Angel Reese 5 of Atlanta reacts during the WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream on August 16th, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA. Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 16 Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260816018
As the Atlanta Dream mentally prepared to take on the Minnesota Lynx without Angel Reese, the league stepped in to ease that worry.
“The technical foul that Angel Reese received tonight has been rescinded, the league confirmed to ESPN,” ESPN reporter Alexa Philipou announced on X on August 29, 2026. “She is back at seven technical fouls on the season. An eighth would lead to an automatic one-game suspension.”
With 8:45 minutes left in the Q4 of Dream’s 83-101 Friday loss to Portland Fire, Reese got tangled with Fire guard Carla Leite. She broke free with a push, earning her 8th tech of the season, which was initially supposed to lead to a one-game suspension and a $1,500 fine.
Reese’s double-double of 16 points and 16 rebounds wasn’t enough against the Fire. They pretty much dominated throughout all four quarters. But the problem would’ve doubled for Dream this weekend against the Lynx.
Not that the 25-14, No.5 Dream stands much chance against the 31-8, No.1 Lynx; hitting the paint without Reese would’ve been more miserable.
But the coach knew things wouldn’t get to that point.
Karl Smesko on Angel Reese’s 8th Tech
Reese’s on-court protest to the foul came right away, as she extended her arms and said, “She pushed off on me." Had it stood, her latest WNBA double-double record, franchise record for single-season rebounds would all have come to a halt. But the Dream coach had higher hopes.
“I'm sure that we'll appeal it,” Smesko said of appealing to get the call rescinded, per Daily Mail’s Rich Jones. “From my vantage point, it didn't look like something that was tech-worthy. So, hopefully it'll be rescinded.”
“But I haven't had the benefit of watching it on film yet or anything like that,” he added. “But I think that's probably something that we're going to try to get rescinded.”
Now, this comes as the precedent to Caitlin Clark’s 8th tech getting rescinded on August 8, assessed during the Indiana Fever vs Chicago Sky matchup. It allowed Clark to play against the NY Liberty on August 11 and secure a crucial 106-92 win.
Do you think Reese would also be able to make the best out of this officiating decision? Let us know in the comments.
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Written by
Deblina Roy