“There’s a white-black issue here” – Stephen A. Smith brands Angel Reese’s critics RACISTS, claims Caitlin Clark was given pass for similar taunting
Stephen A. Smith addresses the Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark issue on air
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Everyone in the USA basketball community is buzzing about the NCAA women’s basketball finals. Angel Reese’s hand gestures sparked these heated conversations. Reese waved her hand in front of her face in the dying seconds of the game. A gesture that is popularly known as John Cena’s ‘You can’t see me.’ These gestures were directed toward her opponent Caitlin Clark, just as LSU was on the verge of winning their first NCAA Championship. While many have labeled her “classless” in a rage, many others have come to her defense.
Fans, as well as critics, have pointed out the double standards of the people who are criticizing Reese for doing the Cena gesture, as Caitlin Clark was seen mocking Raven Johnson (South Carolina) similarly during the NCAA semifinals. They question why Reese is hated now while Clark’s antics were celebrated. The racist undertone and hypocrisy in the reaction of many fans are leaving Reese’s supporters flabbergasted. One of them was the reputed NBA journalist Stephen A. Smith.
While speaking on air, Smith expressed how much he respects and admires Clark as a player. Calling her ‘the Steph Curry of Women’s basketball,’ he followed his praise with some factual interpretation. “Here’s the reality of the situation,” he said. “She instigated this kind of stuff. Let’s call it what it is. She was waving. She was doing the Cena.” Smith called out Clark for waving the unguarded Raven Johnson off during the semi-final.
Smith questioned why people were so hesitant to bring up Clark’s antics in the semi-final while she didn’t mind being disrespectful then. He then proceeded to mention that there was a White-Black problem here. “We all know that there’s a White-Black issue here because the fact of the matter is when Caitlin did it, people were celebrating it and they were talking about nothing but her greatness,” he said. “But the second a sister stepped and threw it back in her face, now you have half the basketball world saying ‘oh you know what that’s not the classiest thing to do.'”
How has Angel Reese responded to the criticisms and remarks against her?
Angel Reese has been quite graceful with her handling of the comments about her. While talking in the post-game interview, Reese threw shade at the White-Black difference that the fans have been imposing. “This is for the girls that look like me. That gonna speak up for what they believe in,” she said, talking to the press and encouraging other black women players. “It was bigger than me tonight,” she said.
Reese was also quick to point out the hypocrisy in the media regarding her celebrations. “When other people do it y’all say nothing,” she said. Reese also called out all those who had been treating her all season to begin with. She talked about how the media made her feel like she was an outsider and should fit in a box they think is right.
Needless to say, Reese has no intentions of being soft and apologetic about her actions, as she’s made it clear that they were about more than just herself. While the debate over the celebrations and gestures keeps building, it will be interesting to see how more people come out and speak their views.
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Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)