The most-watched women’s NCAA basketball championship has provoked a heated debate about whether an athlete’s race influences how we perceive good sportsmanship and competitive rivalries.
LSU star Angel Reese, who won the women’s March Madness’ Most Outstanding Player award, waved her open hand in front of her face at Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark near the end of the Tigers’ victory on Sunday.
The gesture, meaning “you can’t see me,” had been used by Clark toward a Louisville opponent in the Elite Eight. Bleacher Report said that in that same game, Clark said to an opponent: “You’re down by 15 points. Shut up.” ESPN produced a segment hailing Clark as the “Queen of Clapbacks” featuring these moments of taunting by her. Reese is Black; Clark is white.
