Angel Reese, 22, has been one of the most talked about names on North American sports fields in recent times. Reese, who represents the Chicago Sky in the women’s basketball league WNBA, has recently failed to appear in front of the media, got the men’s NBA players to intervene in matters as well as making heated comments about, among other things, how she wants her share of the credit for the growth of women’s basketball and the WNBA.
It all started last Saturday, when Reese’s Sky faced the number one booking of the summer by Caitlin Clark of the team Indiana Fever.
The match was highly anticipated in North America, as it was the first meeting between Reese and Clark at the professional level since the NCAA. Clark, the NCAA’s all-time scoring queen, managed to make it her name when the two hot rookie players met, as the Fever celebrated the victory with a score of 71-70.
After the highly watched match, it was time for interviews, which Reese, however, failed to attend. The league announced the next day that it fined the Chicago newcomer $1,000 (about 919 euros) for not being available to the media after the game.
Reese Earns 73,439 dollars (about 68,000 euros) in his rookie season. The fine amount is therefore large when compared to the NBA rookies who earn millions just in the rookie season.
In her first interview since being fined, Reese talked about how the growth of women’s basketball is not just because of one person (Caitlin Clark), but because of her.
– Look at where women’s basketball is, it’s being talked about in a way that was never imagined. The reason we watch women’s basketball isn’t just because of one person. It’s also because of me. I want you all to understand that.
Reese enjoys the media attention and knows how use it to your advantage.
– I do everything. I’m Barbie. And as you know, Barbie can be anything; he is a doctor, chef, basketball player, model. I do so many different things, so I don’t want to classify myself as just an athlete. I know that if I quit basketball now, I could still make an impact and people would be talking about me.
Sports personality Stephen A. Smith said on Mondaythat some WNBA players are jealous of the attention Caitlin Clark is getting, and suggested that Clark’s skin color could play a role.
– There are young women in the WNBA who are jealous of Clark. She is a white girl who has come into the league like a star, Smith said.
The 22-year-old Clark has also been treated more harshly on the floor from time to time, which has led to to dangerous situations.
Smith added that a lot of work has been done for women’s basketball even before Clarkin’s arrival in the league.
– Others have tried for years to raise the status of the WNBA and women’s professional basketball. Now all their efforts seem in vain when this girl came to conquer the league and has achieved in a short time what could not be done before.
Smith emphasized that people need to learn to appreciate what Clark, who happens to be white, has done for women’s basketball.
– The WNBA needs to learn to promote her.
However, the difference between Caitlin Clark, the biggest star in women’s basketball right now, and Reese is that Clark has shown no respect for growing women’s basketball.
“You can’t see me” hand signal
Reese first made headlines in the 2023 NCAA finals, when his team LSU defeated Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the finals. In the finals, Reese showed her hand to Clark the show wrestling star John Cena’s with the “you can’t see me” hand gesture. Clark had made the same hand signal earlier during the NCAA playoffs.
After this, Reese still pointed his ring finger at Clark, referring to the ring that will be placed on his finger after the championship is decided. Reese’s team LSU eventually won the series championship.
In April, when Reese and Clark met again on the NCAA floor, Reese claimed that he and Clark did not between don’t really have any anger.
– Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. Off the field we can be friends, but on the field I’m going to do everything I can to get inside his head. I don’t think people really get it.
– I know that we are growing women’s basketball. If this is the way we’re going to do it, then we’re going to do it this way. You either like it or you don’t, Reese said about the beginning of the year.
Reese’s Chicago and Clark’s Indiana next meet this season on Sunday, June 16.
Story edited at 16:28. Main image changed.