“Women don’t have to be one-dimensional. They don’t have to do one thing,” the basketball player said

Not many people can say they spent their 22nd birthday walking the steps of the Met Gala, but WNBA star Angel Reese certainly can. Although, it seems that her appearance at fashion’s biggest night drew criticism from some who felt she should be focused on her game — and she recently took the time to address them.

During a press conference for the Chicago Sky media day on Wednesday, May 8, Reese directly called out critics who took issue with her attending the Met Gala a day before the Sky played against the New York Liberty at Wintrust Arena. (A preseason game that Chicago won 101-53.)

“A lot of people told me I shouldn’t have went to the Met Gala, that I wasn’t going to be focused playing against the runner-ups. And I went to the Met Gala, slayed the Met Gala in New York, came back, slayed against New York. It’s what I do,” Reese said when asked about the double standards for female athletes in comparison to her male peers.

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Reese added that having layers is important for women and part of growing the WNBA. “I give a lot of confidence to so many different people, knowing I’m not one-dimensional. Women don’t have to be one-dimensional. They don’t have to do one thing. I think that’s what’s growing the game,” she said.

On May 6, while attending the Met Gala, Reese wore a custom dress from 16Arlington by Marco Capaldo. The sparkly, mint-green gown featured a halter top with a deep V-neck and a sheer, floor-length skirt with feather details around the waist. Her long hair was swept back into a sleek ponytail.

The look was completed with a pair of Eva 75 Slingback heels that Stuart Weitzman customized in a seafoam green satin to match Reese’s ethereal dress and adorned with over 600 crystals meticulously placed by hand.

The Chicago Sky star celebrated her big night on X (formerly known as Twitter), writing, “Training camp in the morning, Met Gala at night, preseason game tomorrow. Just another day in the life for Angel Reese.”