Taylor Rooks claps back at NFL player for being ‘dismissive’ of Angel Reese’s breakdown after season-ending loss

Angel Reese has received a lot of criticism as a college basketball player.

Taylor Rooks claps back at NFL player for being ‘dismissive’ of Angel Reese’s breakdown after season-ending loss

Taylor Rooks defends Angel Reese from Emmanuel Acho's statement

Angel Reese broke down at the press conference after the LSU Tigers exited the Elite Eight. To make matters worse, they lost to their heated rivals Iowa Hawkeyes on Monday. The media hate has certainly gotten to the young player as she opened up about her struggles while reaching this point in the competition.

Emmanuel Acho was unhappy with Angel Reese‘s breakdown after losing the game. The former footballer gave his “gender neutral racially indifferent” take on the athlete’s breakdown. The sports analyst called Reese out for wanting sympathy after portraying herself as the villain. 

Angel Reese, you can’t be the big bad wolf but then kinda cry like Courage the Cowardly Dog.
Emmanuel Acho via Speak on FS1
YouTube video

Sports journalist Taylor Rooks became upset by Acho’s statement. Rooks responded to Acho by writing a long tweet stating that his take was also coming from gender and racial biases.

FS Video
You have to ask why trash talking - a practice many athletes engage in - is seen so much harsher when it comes from someone that looks like her.
Taylor Rooks via X

Rooks stressed that Acho’s take proved the point the analyst was fighting against. The reporter believed that Reese deserved sympathy for getting attacked outside the game and not for the loss. Rooks had a completely contradictory take to Acho’s and gave a word-to-word response. Many others have expressed support for the ‘Bayou Barbie.’

NBA star Matt Barnes also came to Angel Reese’s defense

Former NBA player Matt Barnes joined Taylor Rooks in defending Reese from Acho’s statement. Barnes took to his Instagram to express his disagreement with the football veteran. Known as a villain in the past, Barnes found common ground with Reese and defended the player.

Barnes believed that Acho and others in the media focused on everything around Reese except her game. He also clarified that the media made Reese a villain, and the player only embraced it. 

I don't think Angel Reese said, 'Hey, I want to be the villain.' I think she ran with the title. And as a former villain, I know how that goes.
Matt Barnes via Instagram

Barnes also reflected on the tremendous hate the young athlete receives for her actions. The former NBA player expressed feeling surprised by the criticism towards Reese. Further, Barnes also reflected on the difference between the treatments for men in the game and the Tigers forward. As such, the former athlete showed complete disagreement with Acho’s statement.

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