Brianna Turner Commends WNBA investigation on Fever Fans After Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese Incident

Brianna Turner supports investigating fans at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after reports of racism against Angel Reese following Caitlin Cark tussle.

Brianna Turner Commends WNBA investigation on Fever Fans After Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese Incident

Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever's Brianna Turner

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are by far the two most followed and adored women’s basketball players. The two of them constituted a great rivalry during college basketball, and have since carried it over to the WNBA. The Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever will face each other five times this season. Indiana took the first game of this season series in a blowout 93-58 win. However, certain events marred the result.

Caitlin Clark committed a take foul on Angel Reese after the latter found an easy route to the bucket. Her foul, while a bit hard, did not necessarily escalate to what referees would deem a non-basketball play. However, Clark’s foul caused Reese to fly into a temper as she cussed out the Fever superstar repeatedly. The officiating crew decided to take a closer look at the incident. They ended up giving Clark a flagrant foul.

While Reese stepped up to the line to shoot her technical foul free throw, a sound emerged from the stands. A few WNBA fans tweeted that they could hear monkey sounds, which would be a vividly racist act. However, the footage doesn’t quite seem to indicate this kind of sound coming from the fans.

Clark also downplayed the severity of her foul in the post-game interview courtside. “It’s just a good take foul. Either Angel gets wide open 2 points or we send them to the free throw line. Nothing malicious about it…Every basketball player knows that,” said Caitlin Clark in the post-game presser. Reese also downplayed the foul and the resulting boos in her own post-game comments with the media.

However, the WNBA seems to have taken notice of the incident and is conducting its own investigation. The Indiana Fever has also pledged to provide whatever footage is required to reach the perpetrators, if any.

New Indiana Fever recruit Brianna Turner welcomed this step. She tweeted the following words in approval: “I am in full support of the league investigating potential bigoted behavior directed at players. If something is found, I hope the appropriate actions are taken. If nothing is found, I still believe it’s better safe than sorry when it comes to player safety/welfare at arenas.”

Turner added this in her follow-up tweet: “I strongly encourage those attending in person at arenas to alert ushers/security if you see or hear someone promoting behavior that goes against league policy. Online I’m the biggest advocate for protecting your peace by utilizing the block/mute functions. Let’s be better.”

Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have the potential to make the WNBA profitable

The WNBA has been a loss-making enterprise for the 27 years of its existence. But the league now has a golden ticket to profitability in the form of its newest superstars. While Caitlin Clark is the complete package on and off the court, Angel Reese also has a chokehold on young black women who like basketball off the court despite not being the same level of player on the court.

Although the last two Sky-Fever games have been blowouts, the duo will forever be linked by their 2023 actions. Their rivalry will continue to help the WNBA ratings sour through the roof. It falls upon the league as well as the two players to continue marketing their rivalry while also helping their peers gain visibility. Clark and Reese have both done exemplary jobs of the latter task.

Caitlin Clark has got fans worldwide, both male and female, who are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on her merchandise. Her arrival has truly elevated the league into the major leagues – the WNBA will soon be competing with MLS and NHL for eyeballs during the spring and the summer.

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