FS1 analyst Nick Wright reverses course, praises WNBA star Angel Reese
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The gist
FS1 analyst Nick Wright called Angel Reese 'phenomenal' after her record third straight Finals triple-double.
His about-face on a player he once criticized shows how playoff runs reshape reputations.
Background
Nick Wright is an FS1 analyst on "First Things First" and host of "What's Wright." In May 2025 he said WNBA player Angel Reese needed to improve her game to stay a true superstar; this year, he says, her game changed considerably. After Game 3 of the 2026 WNBA Finals, in which Reese became the first player in league history with three consecutive triple-doubles in her first three Finals games, Wright publicly doubled down on his praise.
How it unfolded
- May 2025Wright suggests Angel Reese needs to improve her game to remain a true superstar in the WNBA.
- Oct 21, 2026Wright joins The Dan Le Batard Show to discuss Victor Wembanyama's struggles in the Spurs' opening-night matchup against the Thunder.
- Oct 22, 2026Wright chugs a beer from a Labatt Beer Horn on live TV during FS1's "First Things First," encouraged by Bills lineman Dion Dawkins.
- Oct 22, 2026After Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, Wright quotes his own praise of Reese on X, calling her resume a "Helluva portfolio" and saying she is one game from Finals MVP.
- Oct 23, 2026Wright shares Week 7 NFL predictions on Nick's Picks, including the Falcons as 2.5-point underdogs to the 49ers.
- Oct 25, 2026In a "What's Wright - Best Of" episode, Wright calls the Eagles' handling of Jalen Hurts' blood clot situation "inexcusable" and covers the NBA season and Week 7 NFL picks.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- Wright said Reese's playoff run puts her "a step behind" A'ja Wilson as the top player in the sport.
- Caution
- Wright had said in May 2025 that Reese's game had "stagnated, if not dipped" and she needed to improve to stay a true superstar.