Chicago Sky player Angel Reese has accused fans of fellow WNBA player Caitlin Clark of racist behavior and harassment.
According to a Daily Mail report, Reese claims that the rivalry between the two players, which dates back to their college days, has led to ongoing abuse, including death threats and the distribution of AI-generated nude images of her online, even sparking worries amongst some members of her family.
Reese, who played for LSU, and Clark, who starred at Iowa, have carried their fierce competition from college into the WNBA, where Reese plays for the Sky and Clark for the Indiana Fever.
RELATED STORIES
Despite the on-court rivalry, Reese insisted that she doesn’t believe Clark supports the hostile actions.
“We’ve been playing each other since high school,” Reese told reporters. “So I think it’s really just the fans, her fans, the Iowa fans, and now the Indiana [Fever] fans that ride for her, and I respect that. But sometimes it is very disrespectful. I think there is a lot of racism when it comes to it, and I don’t believe she stands for any of that.”
Angel Reese on her relationship with Caitlin Clark ?
— Unapologetically Angel (@angelreeseshow) September 5, 2024
Watch full episode here: https://t.co/PRkTaOQ3PO pic.twitter.com/VXGafURpvk
Reese also revealed that the harassment has gone beyond basketball. She detailed how some fans have created AI-generated nude images of her and sent them to her family.
“When it comes to death threats, I’m talking about people coming down to my address, following me home. It has come down to that,” Reese said. “On multiple occasions, people have made AI pictures of me naked, literally. They have sent them to my family members. Uncles have sent them to me like, ‘Are you naked on Instagram?'”
READ ALSO: Racism and Discrimination Make Black People Age Faster According to New Report
The harassment has been difficult to endure, Reese admitted. “It sucks to see that. It is really hard that I have to go through that and see other players who have to go through the same thing.”
Despite the controversies surrounding their encounters, Reese stressed that her relationship with Clark is not rooted in animosity. “At the end of the day, it is a game that we both love, but there is no hate.”
The rivalry between the two players has been a focal point in the WNBA this season. One incident involved Reese’s teammate, Chennedy Carter, shoving Clark to the ground during a game and appearing to yell “yo b**” before shoulder-charging her. Reese, who was off the court at the time, jumped up and cheered the challenge. In another game, Reese was called for a flagrant foul after swiping at the ball and accidentally hitting Clark in the head.
“I guess some people got a special whistle,” Reese said after the game.
Clark, however, has downplayed the rivalry narrative. “I’m pretty sure that the only people who view this as a rivalry is all of you,” Clark told the media in June. “For us, it’s just a game of basketball. That’s what it is.”
Clark also noted that if the rivalry helps promote the game, among many fans around the world, then she welcomes it. “If it’s going to help move the game forward, then absolutely (she’s a rival). That’s amazing. That’s what it should be.”
The Indiana Fever have already secured a spot in the WNBA playoffs, yet Reese and the Chicago Sky still have work to do. The Sky have lost seven consecutive games but face the Los Angeles Sparks next, the team bottom of the standings, and will be hoping to secure the much-needed win.
