She taunted the Sky player with a controversial gesture after scoring in front of her

Shakira Austin and Angel Reese

In a heated WNBA showdown (which we are suddenly seeing more frequently), Washington Mystics forward Shakira Austin added more fuel to the fire of an already growing rivalry between her and Chicago Sky star Angel Reese with a bold celebration after scoring directly in front of her face.

This adds to the ongoing intensity in the WNBA, where we are seen heated moments and arguments more often, shadowing the elite level we are seeing with confrontations, fights and bad words. What happened between the Mystics’ forward and the Sky’s guard was not the worst we have seen, but adds up to the group of critical moments this year.

A mocking gesture on the court

During the high-tension gmae, Austin made everyone in the arena go crazy after she could be lip-read saying a controversial “too small” gesture right after doing a bucket over Angel Reese.

This is commonly used in basketball and in other sports’ circles to mock an opponent’s size or ability to mark. The situation, quick but unmistakable, went viral fast on social media adding more fire and making bigger the high-stakes tension between two of the league’s most talked-about and famous young players.

Based on what Athlon Sports pointed out, Reese, known for her competitive personality and strong vocal presence on the court, did not addresed anything about the situation publicly during or after the game, but the gesture did not go unnoticed. The moment quickly made the rounds online, getting both praise and criticism from fans and analysts both ways.

The restart of an old rivalry?

While neither player broke silence on the incident postgame, the interaction itself reflects the intensity and growing rivalries storylines emerging in the WNBA’s 2024 season. Reese, a rookie sensation for the Sky, has become one of the main faces of the league, while Austin continues to assert herself as a cornerstone of the Mystics‘ rebuilding chances.

The gesture also adds to a pattern of over expressive moments on the court, actions that has increasingly come under scrutiny as players navigate the thin line of balance between competitive fire and sportsmanship.

New WNBA environments

Whether the “too small” thing was personal or just part of the game’s emotional rhythm, one thing is sure for us: the WNBA’s rising stars are loving the spotlight, therefore, they are not afraid to make any kind of statements while doing it.

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