Angel Reese Responds to Online Hate After LSU’s Historic Win
The LSU Women’s Basketball team is still celebrating its historic win during the NCAA Tournament, but it’s Angel Reese who’s grasping everyone’s attention.
University of Maryland transfer, Angel Reese, is on everyone’s radar after her impressive athleticism and exhilarating performance during the 2023 Women’s NCAA tournament. After only one year with LSU, which has had stars like Sha’Carri Richardson as a part of the school’s rich athletic legacy, Resse can now call herself a champion. She was named March Madness’s NCAA Most Oustanding Performance after scoring 15 points and ten rebounds in the national championship game against the second-ranking team in the tournament, Iowa State. The win makes the first Women’s NCAA Championship in the program’s history.
wow. 1 year ago today I entered the transfer portal. look how much my life has changed in 1 YEAR…. GOD DID
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 6, 2023
Moments after the historic win for the LSU Tigers, Reese became the subject of harsh criticism online in response to her competitive gestures during the game against Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark. In the game’s final moments, Reese taunted Clark with the famous John Cena “You can’t see me” hand gesture and pointed towards her ring finger. Debates erupted on social media about sportsmanship and the competitive nature of basketball.
When a white woman from Iowa, Caitlin Clark taunts the other team during a game it’s “funny” and “part of competition”.
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) April 3, 2023
When a black woman from Louisiana, Angel Reese, decides to do it back, she’s “not showing sportsmanship” and “disgusting”.
If you ever needed an example of… pic.twitter.com/MuHMdO4Tsn
Through it all, Angel Reese stays positive, exemplifies confidence, and walks in her truth. In a recent interview on ESPN’s NBA Today, Reese talks about her reaction to the criticisms she received and hopes her response inspires younger generations of Black women to be unapologetically themselves. “Just keep being you,” She continues, “Never let anybody ever tell you ‘no,’ ever tell you that you can’t do this and you can’t do that. I’ve always just stood in my skin and been very proud of who I am. I’m very, very confident in who I am, and I think the people that support me understand who I am.”
The subject brought up prominent differences in how competitiveness and trash talk are perceived in women’s vs. men’s sports. Nonetheless, it’s exciting to see the players’ confidence and the unity of the two women despite all the online debate.
