Angel Reese Wins BET Sportswoman of The Year, WNBA Fans Remonstrate: “A’ja or Phee Not Playing?”

Angel Reese won the award with a lot of cultural cache, and WNBA fans are openly dismissive of her win.

Angel Reese Wins BET Sportswoman of The Year, WNBA Fans Remonstrate: “A’ja or Phee Not Playing?”

Angel Reese (Image via Firstsportz)

Angel Reese has been the subject of a lot of trash talk and vitriol around the WNBA since 2024. The Sky forward has been inextricably linked with the rise of Caitlin Clark and she’s paying the price. Her gestures at the 2023 NCAA Tournament were celebrated by many at the time, but they’ve exposed her to hate that she didn’t bargain for. Now even in her best moments, the 23-year-old doesn’t get grace from fans.

The 6’3″ power forward had a rousing rookie year, averaging the highest rebounding average ever for a rookie. However, she had the misfortune of being in the same draft class as arch rival Caitlin Clark. The Fever guard had a season for the ages, averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game. She set the WNBA assists record, earned an All-WNBA First Team selection and made history en route to this accolade.

However, Angel Reese’s cultural impact on the black community has also been a factor in increased WNBA fanfare. Her rise as an unconventional star with off court glamor has motivated many young black girls to follow her lead. Given this impact as just a rookie, the BET awards community found it prudent to recognize it. The Sky forward won her third straight BET Sportswoman of the Year award at the Peacock Theater, LA.

Given the extremely polarized nature of WNBA conversation online, this met with a lot of pushback from basketball fans. Many believed that while Reese has undoubtedly had a landmark year, there were more deserving black players for the award. This list includes A’ja Wilson, who was unanimously voted MVP last year. It also includes Unrivaled cofounder Napheesa Collier and 2024 WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones.

Her own game and limited offensive skillset also rose squarely to the top of the issues fans had with her win.

It is hard to argue with the logic of the comments. Even if you make allowances for how Angel Reese has impacted black women aiming to play basketball, she has already earned this award in back-to-back years before. Her play itself wasn’t as good as the likes of Napheesa Collier or A’ja Wilson. She didn’t have a landmark win like Coco Gauff at this year’s French Open. She didn’t cement a GOAT argument like Simone Biles.

Angel Reese is finding it hard to maintain a legitimate rivalry with Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark rose to national attention after tallying a 40-point triple-double during Iowa’s Elite Eight win in 2023. This fame skyrocketed after her incident with Reese during the 2023 National Championship final. However, the rivals’ paths in the 26 months since the game have been contrasting.

The Sky forward had a down season during her senior year at LSU. She dealt with injuries and academic troubles and was unable to help the team defend their national championship. After getting to the WNBA, Reese has regressed in her second year following a promising rookie season.

Although there’s still time for her to change trajectories, Angel Reese is not on a great path at the moment. The forward needs to concentrate more on upping her offense and becoming a real factor on both ends.

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