‘And Then Starts Crying’: WNBA Fans Roast Angel Reese After Viral Cameron Brink Clip
Aug 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) knocks the ball away from Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink (22) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Angel Reese is having an amazing time on the court lately; however, a little block sequence from Cameron Brink got the Atlanta Dream forward a bit rattled. And the internet noticed.
Reese’s fans may love her domination on the board, but her critics are calling out her inefficiency, especially inside the paint. During one sequence in the first quarter of the game between the Atlanta and Los Angeles Sparks on August 24, 2026, Brink overpowered Reese. Reese seemed frustrated when Brink blocked the three-time All-Star twice in five seconds!
Reese sent the ball down to Atlanta’s offensive zone. She made her way to the basket without wasting any time putting on the moves. Before trying a shot, Reese pivoted and posted up the Sparks forward, but Brink timed her contest flawlessly.
Reese got the ball back and launched another attack, but the outcome was the same. After the ball was tapped out, she sat on the ground, obviously upset that Brink had not been called for a foul by the refs.
During the Monday game, Brink spearheaded the Sparks’ defensive onslaught against the Dream. However, the significant foul call guarding Reese in the first quarter ignited discussion among social media critics.
Brink appeared committed to keeping Reese in the paint as the Dream forward delivered elbow-to-rib smashes in a newly posted video on X (formerly Twitter). Reese made many attempts to get past the defensive play, but in the end, she got frustrated.
Fans disagreed on what constitutes a foul shortly after the video went viral.
The WNBA Rule 12B, Section IV-a, states, “If contact committed against a player, with or without the ball, is interpreted to be unnecessary, a flagrant foul-penalty 1 will be assessed. A personal foul is charged to the offender, and a team foul is charged to the team.”
On closer inspection, though, it appears that Brink’s persistent attempt to block Reese should have been a foul, but it wasn’t. Even according to the rules, it is usually acceptable for the attacking player’s hand to make contact with the ball.
However, some fans defended Brink’s block as clean.
Countering the foul narrative, one fan wrote on X, “Show the bruises @cameronbrink22.”
Another user asked, “No foul on angel Reese? How she allowed those elbows lol.”
While trolling Reese’s elbowing and visible frustration, another user commented, “And then starts cryin even Tho she throwing elbows and everything .”
And then starts cryin even Tho she throwing elbows and everything
— bulls (@Bulls23Champs) August 25, 2026
A fourth user noted, “All those elbows and clumsy footwork and physicality …. Needs to do better by this point of her career.”
“LMFAO threw the elbow twice and still got packed twice,” added another.
Meanwhile, fans were all in praise for Brink, who they “took those elbows like a champ.”
Another user noted, “Defense this intense deserves applause, Cameron really brought the lockdown energy tonight.”
The Dream defeated the Sparks 78-71, handing Reese the final laugh of the evening. Despite her poor shooting, Angel was able to pull down a record-breaking 26 rebounds during the game.
Throughout the controversy, Reese has been repeatedly chastised for her shooting troubles around the basket. While her career field goal percentage remains 42.9 percent, she has made significant progress during the 2026 WNBA season, averaging 44.1% from the field, according to Basketball Reference.
Reese just recorded a career-high 31 points in the Dream’s 99-89 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on August 22, 2026. Moreover, it was her 26th double-double of the year. Two days prior, the Dream also defeated the Las Vegas Aces 124-88 thanks to the 24-year-old’s 20 points on 9-of-9 shooting, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
Despite securing a playoff berth, Reese and the Dream are not slowing down. Their goal is to get a top-three seed.