WNBA star Angel Reese has been talked about because of her alleged past relationship with Detroit Pistons star Jalen Duren. According to rumors, the two athletes dated before Reese became involved with Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr.
Additionally, there was a report that said Duren exposed the Atlanta Dream star. According to the allegations, Reese had the Pistons star spend around $600,000 a week on her. Many fans believe the dating rumor to be true.
However, Reese shut down the talk about it on Instagram. She commented on a post that shared the rumor and claimed she had never been in a romantic relationship with the one-time NBA All-Star.
“& you dumb af to believe this. this is literally AI. and that boy was NEVER my boyfriend so let’s stop running with that too,” Reese commented.
The rumors about them started in July 2024. Both athletes posted updates on their Instagram where they were relaxing in the same venue. Since then, fans have linked them together until Reese went public with Carter.
In the 2026 NBA playoffs, the narrative around Reese, Duren and Carter was highlighted when the Pistons played the Magic in the opening round. Every time Carter gets the best of Duren, the Dream star posts it on social media. Fans noticed that the WNBA star is active on her Instagram and X accounts during their matchup.
Sophie Cunningham Encouraged Angel Reese to Move On
On May 5, WNBA star Sophie Cunningham released an episode of her podcast, “Show Me Something.” During the episode, the topic of Angel Reese and Jalen Duren was brought up. Cunningham wasn’t sure if there was actual history between the two. However, she noticed how Reese trolls the NBA star on social media during the Magic-Pistons series.
Despite this, the Indiana Fever guard encouraged Reese to move on from the past and focus on Carter.
“Something had to have happened for [Reese] to keep, I don’t know, wanting to embarrass him in some way,” Cunningham said (Timestamp at 2:46).
Cunningham’s co-host, West Wilson, suggested that maybe nothing happened, and the WNBA player said this:
“But then move on! Worry about the current boyfriend.”
Weeks after Cunningham’s comments, Angel Reese confirmed that she did not have a past relationship with Duren. However, it hasn’t stopped fans from bringing it up on social media.
Edited by Reign Amurao