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Basketball

Public disputes involving professional, college and international basketball, including players, teams and leagues.

Published coverage on this page: 1 case · 3 statements. Statements are ordered newest first.

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Statements

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3 matching statements

Andrew Jerell Jones

Role at the time: Sports journalist and Bleav host

Mixed or conditional

Response to this claim

Angel Reese deserved the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

“it should have been at least a #WNBA Co-DPOY for A’Ja Wilson and Angel Reese.”
Read the original post (opens in a new tab)Jones calls for a shared Reese and Wilson defensive awardPost 2105739251157545232; author's own text
Why we used this label

Jones supports Reese receiving the honor but rejects a sole-winner outcome.

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Lindsay Gibbs

Role at the time: CBS Sports analyst

Mixed or conditional

Response to this claim

Angel Reese deserved the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

“a very deserving recipient”
Open source (opens in a new tab)2026 WNBA awards picks: A'ja Wilson sweeps MVP, experts divided on Angel Reese for top defenderDefensive Player of the Year section; each named analyst's paragraph
Why we used this label

Gibbs combines approval of Reese's merit with a preference for Williams.

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Portrait of Sue Bird

Sue Bird

Role at the time: Retired WNBA player and podcast host

Mixed or conditional

Response to this claim

Angel Reese deserved the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

“Um, but of course, if Angel wins, 100% deserving.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Jessica Shepard on Playing with Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings' Playoff Push + Sue's MVP Pick8:53-9:39; Williams preference at 8:53, Reese deservedness at 9:37
Why we used this label

Bird expresses approval of Reese's merit while favoring Williams, a substantive tension in her award judgment.

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People in this topic

Nekias Duncan

Nekias Duncan is a basketball writer and analyst covering the NBA and WNBA. He co-hosts The Dunker Spot podcast with Steve Jones Jr., discussing teams, players and basketball tactics.

1 case and 1 statement

Michael Voepel

Michael Voepel is an American sports journalist who has written for ESPN since 1996. He covers the WNBA and women's college basketball and received the Curt Gowdy Media Award in 2022.

1 case and 1 statement

Karl Smesko

Karl Smesko is an American basketball coach and head coach of the Atlanta Dream. He previously led Florida Gulf Coast University's women's basketball program from 2002 to 2024.

1 case and 1 statement

A'ja Wilson

A'ja Wilson is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA. The former South Carolina player has won WNBA championships and league MVP awards, and has represented the United States at the Olympics.

1 case

Gabby Williams

Gabby Williams is a French-American professional basketball player for the Golden State Valkyries of the WNBA and the French national team. She played college basketball at Connecticut and won Olympic bronze in 2021 and silver in 2024 with France.

1 case

Angel Reese

Angel Reese is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA. She played college basketball at Maryland and LSU, winning the NCAA championship with LSU in 2023, and began her WNBA career with the Chicago Sky in 2024.

1 case