Former NBA Player Eaton Thomas Says Angel Reese Was Cast as the Villain — But Who Really Wrote the Script?

When Angel Reese taunted Caitlin Clark during the 2023 NCAA Championship, a firestorm erupted — not just on the court, but across the entire sports world. That moment, seen by millions, didn’t just crown a new college champion. It launched a media war.

According to former NBA player Etan Thomas, the outcome wasn’t an accident. In a video that has since gone viral, Thomas offered a stinging critique of how the media didn’t just cover Angel Reese — they created her… as the villain.

“It’s really clear that they made Angel Reese the villain after she beat Caitlin Clark,” Thomas said. “She became the perfect foil to what the media pushed as the ‘great white hope’ of women’s basketball.”

Clark, a phenomenal talent in her own right, had already captured the attention of sports fans everywhere. But what made the headlines explode, Thomas argues, wasn’t just skill — it was the contrast. A white player from Iowa rising through the ranks as America’s sweetheart, while Reese, confident and unapologetically Black, was framed as the antagonist.

And the public? They took the bait.

The Double Standard That Sparked a Cultural War

The flashpoint was the infamous “you can’t see me” taunt. Clark had used it earlier in the tournament — the media called her “competitive,” “fierce,” and “fun to watch.” But when Reese mirrored the same gesture after LSU’s win, the language changed.

Suddenly, Reese was “classless,” a “thug,” even “unsportsmanlike.”

“It was the exact same move,” Thomas emphasized. “But one was applauded, the other condemned. That’s not about basketball — that’s about race, and that’s about narrative.”

 

Fueling the Fire for Ratings?

Whether accidental or intentional, the results were undeniable: ratings skyrocketed. WNBA attendance soared. Merchandise sales boomed. And both Clark and Reese became household names.

But as the media profited from the explosive interest, Reese carried the burden of hate.

Even as Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA with widespread acclaim, the narrative followed Reese like a shadow. One recent moment reignited the debate: when Chicago Sky’s Chennedy Carter flattened Clark in a game — and Reese celebrated it from the bench.

That moment? It went viral.

But not because of the hit — because of Reese’s reaction. Carter was barely mentioned in some reports. Reese, once again, was labeled “toxic,” “immature,” and even “racist” by online trolls. Never mind that the incident didn’t even involve her directly.

Why Paige Bueckers Doesn’t Get the Same Coverage

Etan Thomas didn’t stop at Reese and Clark. He widened the lens, bringing in another name: Paige Bueckers, the UConn phenom who’s projected to be the No. 1 pick in a future WNBA draft.

“She’s just as talented. But she doesn’t have a Black villain,” Thomas said.

Without that conflict-driven contrast, Bueckers isn’t generating the same media frenzy. The theory? The story isn’t as “marketable” without the racial dichotomy.

Ironically, Bueckers has publicly supported racial justice. In 2021, she used her ESPYs acceptance speech to highlight the contributions of Black women in sports. But she’s not being pushed as aggressively as Clark — likely because there’s no Reese-style rival to frame the story.

It’s a revelation that forces us to ask: Is this really about basketball — or is it about selling drama?

 

Players Speak Out: “It’s Getting Worse”

The media’s constructed rivalry doesn’t just affect Reese and Clark — it’s tearing at the very fabric of the WNBA.

Washington Mystics star Shakira Austin says she feels it too.

“It’s getting worse,” she said. “We’re already fighting for respect — now we’re fighting stereotypes, too.”

Even her father felt the sting, calling her to vent about the online hate. Austin urged him to ignore it. But the damage is already done: fans are polarized, players are attacked, and the WNBA — once desperate for attention — is now wrestling with the cost of that spotlight.

Should Angel Reese Get a Statue at LSU?

As if the debate weren’t intense enough, LSU fans are now clashing over whether Angel Reese deserves a statue and her jersey retired.

One viral post read: “LSU, it’s time to retire Angel Reese’s jersey and build that statue.”

But critics pushed back, noting legends like Sylvia Fowles and Simone Augustus didn’t receive that treatment until much later — if at all.

Still, no one can deny Reese’s impact: she led LSU to a national championship, brought the school back into national prominence, and became a cultural lightning rod. Whether you love her or loathe her, you’re talking about her — and in sports, that matters.

A Dunk Heard Around the World

In another viral moment, Reese was literally jumped over by AJ Dybantsa, the top men’s prospect for 2025, during the McDonald’s All-American Jamfest.

He pulled off a windmill dunk over Reese, and while the feat was jaw-dropping, what made headlines wasn’t just the dunk — it was her presence in it.

Even in moments she has no control over, Reese stays in the headlines. Sometimes celebrated. Often criticized. But always center stage.

The Real Villain: The Media Machine?

Etan Thomas’ main point isn’t to villainize Clark or saint Reese. His target is bigger: the system itself.

A system that rewards divisiveness. That elevates one player at the expense of another. That needs a villain, and too often, that villain looks like Angel Reese.

“This isn’t new,” Thomas said. “Serena Williams went through it. Sha’Carri Richardson went through it. Muhammad Ali went through it. And now, it’s Angel’s turn.”

A Label She Never Asked For

Reese’s confidence, her trash talk, her boldness — all the traits that make her a star — are the very same traits the media repackages into controversy.

Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark continues to be uplifted — not just for her game, but for her demeanor, her “humility,” and her perceived “respectability.”

The result? One player gets endorsements and headlines. The other gets branded as the villain, dragged through social media, and left defending herself for simply being herself.

Conclusion: Who Benefits?

In the end, the Reese vs. Clark storyline isn’t about one athlete being better or worse. It’s about a narrative — one that draws lines in the sand, picks favorites, and fuels fanbases with fire.

Clark becomes a superstar. Reese becomes a lightning rod. The WNBA finally gets the spotlight.

But at what cost?

As Thomas puts it: “Reese never asked to be the villain. But the system needed one — and she fit the part.”

And that truth — as uncomfortable as it is — might be the hardest one for fans to accept.