Former Sparks Legend Gives Angel Reese Harsh Ranking Among WNBA Best
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese has impressed in 2025 — posting per game averages of over 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Read more: Sparks' Kelsey Plum, Rickea Jackson Break Records in Win Over Sun
However, despite the recent success, former WNBA champion and Los Angeles Sparks legend Candace Parker was brutally honest when comparing Reese to others around the league on a recent episode of the Post Moves Podcast.
Candace Parker set the record straight about her ranking of Angel Reese and other top WNBA players.
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 30, 2025
(via @PostMovesShow) pic.twitter.com/GHzviUCgqJ
"Are you taking Angel above Paige [Bueckers], Arike [Ogunbowale], Sabrina [Ionescu], Kelsey [Plum], Caitlin [Clark], A'ja [Wilson], Napheesa [Collier] or Breanna [Stewart]? No," Parker said. "That does not make her a bad player. That does not make me a hater."
Read more: Sparks' Cameron Brink Reacts to WNBA All-Star Snubs
Furthermore, on a late July episode of Good Follow, Parker shared additional thoughts.
There’s a difference between hate and holding space for real conversations.
— Good Follow (@GoodFollowShow) July 22, 2025
Candace Parker & Ros talk Candace’s recent Angel Reese comments, criticism in women’s sports, and why objectivity shouldn’t feel like betrayal.
Full episode with @ROSGO21 & @Candace_Parker dropping… pic.twitter.com/RR5ETWKveQ
"You're measuring [Reese] against players that have been in the league for years," Parker said. "I'm willing to debate, I love it. Tell me I'm wrong ... but bring facts to the table. And so that's the biggest thing — there's no hate on Angel Reese ... I love her, she plays for the Chicago Sky.
"I saw her at my jersey retirement ... so it's nothing like that. But I just think it's so interesting in this female space — the need to have to explain some of these things that you don't see," she added. "I will never attack anybody's character. I will never attack who they are — ever. And I just hope that others will do the same."
More Sparks news:
A'ja Wilson Speaks Out on Losing Kelsey Plum to Sparks
Sparks' Kelsey Plum Reacts to Georgia Amoore's ACL Injury
International Legend Reveals Reason For Rejoining LA
Sparks Waive Two Players Ahead of 2025 Season
Sparks’ Cameron Brink Revisits Feeling After Tearing ACL
For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Sparks, visit Los Angeles Sparks on SI.
Ben Geffner is an award-winning sports journalist and current student at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism. A greater Los Angeles native now with countless years of extensive and dedicated experience — including beat reporting, writing, play-by-play broadcast, television anchoring, podcasting and video production — Ben remains eager to contribute as credentialed media covering the LA Sparks.
Follow BenGeffner