Opinion | Women's basketball wins after Angel Reese gesture toward Caitlin Clark
Many ages ago, I was a varsity high school basketball player. As the tallest person on my (height-challenged) team, I played center and forward. I was competitive, aggressive and, at times, cocky, as one of our top players for blocks, rebounds and points. Part of the appeal of basketball, after all — for players and spectators — is the bravado, the rivalries and, yes, the trash talk. Points on the board and W’s don’t lie — if you’ve got it like that, you’ve got it like that.
But the recent frenzy over the NCAA women’s basketball championship on Sunday, when Louisiana State University defeated Iowa, was a reminder of what happens when women — Black women, especially — dare to show personality and competitiveness.
A quick recap: The LSU Tigers defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes, 102-85. LSU player Angel Reese had a hell of a game. She scored 15 points and made 10 rebounds and five assists, for her 34th double-double of the season, the most ever in a single season in women’s college basketball history.
Advertisement
Toward the end of the game, Reese waved her hand over her face in the direction of Iowa star player Caitlin Clark — a “you can’t see me” taunt popularized by the pro wrestler John Cena. When it was obvious LSU was going to go home with the trophy, Reese gestured toward Clark another time, pointing to her ring finger.
The White internet went crazy. Reese was unsportsmanlike, people crowed. White male media commentators went to town on her. “Classless piece of s---,” Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, spat via Twitter. Keith Olbermann, host of the “Countdown” podcast, called Reese a “f---ing idiot.”
Follow this authorKaren Attiah's opinionsBut guess what? Turns out Clark, who is White, also has a history of taunting players and using the hand-wave gesture — because it’s what players do. And on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” on Tuesday, Clark defended Reese. “I don’t think Angel should be criticized at all,” she said, adding: “I think everybody knew there was going to be a little bit of trash talk in the entire tournament. It’s not just me and Angel.”
Advertisement
Yet Clark gets called exciting for flashing some attitude on court — while Reese gets called out.
The White backlash shows that for Black women playing their hearts out for the respect they deserve, the game is rigged. From Serena Williams to Sha’Carri Richardson, confident, dominant Black female athletes have long been demonized, and Reese is no different.
The insults go beyond name-calling. On Monday, first lady Jill Biden suggested that Clark and her Iowa team should visit the White House in addition to the champions, LSU. Black women chimed in, rightly outraged, describing their experiences of being forced to share top spots, awards and accolades with White people — or of being snubbed altogether.
Biden’s press secretary on Tuesday tweeted a clarification: “The first lady loved watching the NCAA women’s basketball championship game … and admires how far women have advanced in sports since the passing of Title IX. Her comments … were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes.”
Advertisement
And then? Reese dunked on Biden’s backtracking, saying she wouldn’t accept the apology, and — for the extra point — “We’ll go to the Obamas.”
In a society that expects Black people to perform instant forgiveness after racial slights, I’m so here for this energy.
Who said women’s sports were boring? To me, this is the silver lining: The buzz and, yes, the controversy are proof of the increase in the popularity of women’s basketball.
The LSU-Iowa game drew a record-breaking average of 9.9 million viewers, with a peak of 12.6 million, making it the most-watched college women’s basketball game to date. (For comparison, during March Madness this year, an average of 9.11 million tuned in to watch the men’s regional finals.)
While the drama over Reese and Clark has dominated sports talk and social media, we can’t lose sight of the fact that these two are stars thanks to their skill and talent, and are representative of how thrilling women’s basketball is. All this discourse is exactly what we need more of for women’s sports to progress.
Advertisement
Women’s college basketball pulled in more viewers than the NBA this year. If the viewers are increasingly there, colleges and media outlets have less and less justification to skimp on devoting resources and coverage to the games and the athletes. And now that the NCAA has allowed women athletes to sign “name, image and likeness” endorsement deals, perhaps we’ll see more girls taking up basketball — and the recruiting pool for talent increasing.
Sports are about athleticism, personality and competitiveness, no matter the players’ gender. I hope Reese, Clark and all the other female athletes continue to shine — and get the visibility they deserve — like the absolute ballers they are.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLyxtc2ipqerX2d9c3%2BOaWtoaGVkubTBjKKmsJldlruosctmqZ6do5p6pK3IraOipl2YuaK%2BymaZmqubmsGjrculZg%3D%3D