The WNBA is lighting up the charts like never before! With viewership numbers for the WNBA All-Star Game skyrocketing to a whopping 3.4 million on ABC, thanks to the fierce rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, it’s clear that people can’t get enough. But, as the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility,” or in this case, a truckload of online hate.
Enter Reggie Miller, NBA Hall of Famer and brother to the legendary Cheryl Miller, who decided to spill the beans on why these WNBA superstars are getting so much flak. Spoiler alert: It’s all thanks to our beloved social media.
Reggie, in a no-holds-barred interview with USA Sports, had this to say: “The problem is with Caitlin and Angel and I’d say the last 15 years is social media. Cheryl and Lynette Woodard…they never had to face social media the way Clark and Angel Reese and Cam Brink. They didn’t have to face it ‘cause now everyone has their own opinion and their own critique. Everyone’s home in their basement watching games and commenting in real-time. You know, in Indiana when I played, we had one paper and one beat writer.”
Translation: Back in Reggie’s day, players only had to worry about a couple of local reporters. Now, every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a Wi-Fi connection and an opinion is chiming in.
Modern-day players like Reese, Clark, and Cameron Brink are under the constant microscope of social media scrutiny, unlike their predecessors who dealt with far fewer opinions. Yet, Reggie points out that social media isn’t all doom and gloom; it has given players a platform to share their voices through podcasts and other means.
Take Caitlin Clark, for instance. Reggie’s got mad respect for how she handles the haters. Despite being roasted over everything from her $28 million shoe deal to her playing style, Clark remains unfazed. “Everyone has an opinion and sometimes you gotta just stop the noise, cut off the devices, and everything. I hear about Caitlin she does that which is great, she’s not on… so she’s on it but she’s not actively on it and she doesn’t let a lot of that affect her,” Miller added.
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And it’s not just Clark who’s catching the heat. Angel Reese got slammed for attending the annual Met Gala before her game against the New York Liberty. Because, you know, how dare she have a life outside basketball?
Meanwhile, Cheryl Miller, who coached Team WNBA against Team USA in the All-Star Game, has nothing but praise for Reese and Clark. She believes the rivalry has done wonders for the sport’s popularity. “I love what they’ve done for the women’s game, from the collegiate level to now… And now, the bottom line comes down to one thing, it’s about basketball. It’s about winning,” Cheryl said.
As the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky battle for a playoff spot, the competition for Rookie of the Year between Reese and Clark heats up. So, who’s your pick for ROTY? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
