LSU forward Angel Reese had a performance to remember in the 2023 NCAA tournament, punctuated by a 15-point, 10-rebound outing against Iowa in the national championship Sunday.
Generating as much reaction as her feats on the court, however, was the backlash that surrounded her gesturing toward Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark in the game’s closing minutes. Reese pointed to her ring finger as the championship wound to its conclusion, and mocked Clark’s trademark celebration — a twist on WWE legend John Cena’s familiar “you can’t see me.”
Addressing her critics directly postgame, Reese pointed out the difference between reactions to her poking fun at Clark and Clark poking fun at her previous opponents.
"I don’t fit in the box that y’all want me to be in," Reese said. "I'm too hood, I'm too ghetto, y'all told me that all year. When other people do it, y'all don't say nothing. This was for the people that look like me."
"I don’t fit in the box that y’all want me to be in. I'm too hood, I'm too ghetto, y'all told me that all year. When other people do it, y'all don't say nothing. This was for the people that look like me." - Angel Reese ❤️👑
— WSLAM (@wslam) April 3, 2023
pic.twitter.com/fOKfDJGm9f
Later, Reese added one final comment via Twitter.
and no I’M NOT KEEPING IT CUTE.😘
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) April 3, 2023
Taken together, the back-and-forth between Reese and Clark contributed to one of the most memorable matchups in women's basketball history.
