Angel Reese has defended herself over a gesture she made towards Iowa star Caitlin Clark during LSU’s NCAA Tournament victory over the Hawkeyes.
Reese made the “You can’t see me” gesture – made famous by wrestler John Cena – towards her opponent as the Tigers closed out their 102-85 victory, which secured their first NCAA women’s basketball title. “[Clark is a] hell of a player but I don’t take disrespect lightly,” said Reese after the game. “She disrespected [LSU’s] Alexis [Morris] and I wanted to pick her pocket.
But I had a moment at the end of her game … I was in my moment”. Former ESPN host Keith Olbermann called Reese an “idiot” for the gesture, and the LSU forward was subject to widespread abuse on social media.
However, many pointed out that Reese, who is Black, was simply repeating a gesture Clark, who is white, had made earlier in the tournament.