Alone in the Spotlight: Angel Reese’s All-Star Takeover That Never Was
“You don’t start a fight with nobody in the ring.”

Angel Reese arrived in Indianapolis with one mission: flip the narrative. The 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend was her moment to dominate — on the court and off it. With Reebok behind her, the campaign was loud, unapologetic, and perfectly timed. Billboards lit up the city. Slogans like “Walk in your trap, take over your trap” echoed across social feeds. It was bold. It was strategic. It was personal.

But then, Caitlin Clark pulled out.

A re-aggravated groin injury sidelined the hometown star just 24 hours before the spectacle. And without Clark — the supposed rival, the mirror to Reese’s fire — the entire energy collapsed. Ticket prices dropped, sponsor hype faded, and Reese found herself performing a monologue in a play written for two.

She smiled. She posed. She stood tall.

But the applause was thin. Fans wore No. 22. Reese’s shoes didn’t sell. Her billboard stayed lit — but the city never answered.

What remained wasn’t failure. Just absence. A campaign built for conflict met a crowd too quiet to care.

Angel Reese owned the spotlight. But in the end, it felt like she was the only one watching.