Angel Reese Sends Clear Message About Handling Her Haters
There's no question that Chicago Sky superstar Angel Reese has dealt with a lot of criticism across her basketball career.
This has led to her feeling jaded about some women's basketball fans, which she alluded to during her appearance at this year's Complex Conversations event by saying, "I don't think it's just her fans. I think it's fans in general," when asked whether she thinks Clark's fanbase crosses the line sometimes.
"People don't realize at the end of the day, we're human. You guys watch us. And knowing that, it's just basketball. I promise you, it's just basketball. I don't have any hard feelings towards her, she doesn't have any hard feelings towards me.
"But it gets crazy sometimes," she added.
During that same event, Reese spoke out how she has learned to handle these critics.
"I think it really inspired me to continue to wake up every morning and just keep going," Reese said when asked about how much of the hate she receives is attributed to her identity. "I've had so many people that do come up to me, and are positive to me, and say like, 'I love you, keep going, you inspire me', from ages 4 to 60, it doesn't matter.
"People really do genuinely love me and I try to think of the positive before I think of the negative," Reese continued. "And it took me a little minute to get to where I am right now. Obviously earlier on I'm like 'Why do people hate me so much, and why are people so negative?' But when I look back at it, and look myself in the mirror, and knowing who I am, and being inspired of who I am, and knowing that one day, people will be like 'I want to be like Angel Reese', or 'Angel Reese really inspired me and touched me.'"
"People really do genuinely love me and I try to think of the positive before I think of the negative." @Reese10Angel on how she deals with the hate on social media. #360WithSpeedy pic.twitter.com/XOzHUeVY0e
— Complex (@Complex) November 29, 2024
Much respect to Reese for keeping this positive mindset.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.