TikTok Says “No” to 2 WNBA Stars as They Share Their Displeasure on Other Social Media Platform
The upset was real when TikTok went dark for a brief moment on January 19th, 2025. Influencers and athletes who rely on the platform to build their brands felt it well. Angel Reese, with over 5 million following, even tweeted saying she thought it was a dream. But they all breathe a sigh of relief now. Or maybe not all from the WNBA just yet.
In a surprise move, President Donald Trump has delayed the TikTok ban by 75 days, giving the Chinese company a chance to negotiate its future in the U.S. But while it is up now, it seems to have come with some glitch. A couple of W stars voice that they haven’t been able to get verified by the platform.
Marina Mabrey of the Connecticut Sun took to X with her frustration over TikTok’s refusal to grant her a blue check. She said, “Can someone help me get verified on TikTok? They keep saying no to me.” Mabrey who runs the ”Cookin with Mabrey” show on there has been trying to get her account verified but to no avail!
The Suns star has been one active player on TikTok. While her recipes have been a regular, she hasn’t limited herself. Make-up routines and dance tutorials have made their way to her 38.5k followers too. Khaleah Copper, however, seems to enjoy a private account, being more visible on Instagram and X with near 200k followers.
If ByteDance fails to secure a buyer within the next 75 days, TikTok’s time in the U.S. will run out. This could leave the athletes scrambling once again, and not just for personal reasons.
TikTok ban leaves WNBA stars taking to other platforms confused
Angel Reese was one of the firsts to take to X, upset on the 19th. “my shaylaaaa tiktok,” she wrote with a heart and tear-eyed emoji. With 5.2 million followers, the Chi-Town Barbie holds an opportunity for lucrative deals on the platform. But what really worried the Maryland-native was the uncertainty of receiving the stuff she ordered on TikTok. And of course, she wasn’t the only one heartbroken with the possibility.
Fellow 2024 rookie, Rickea Jackson made the sentiment as clear as she could. I’LL LOVE YOU FOREVER TIKTOK💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔,” she tweeted. Jonquel Jones, on the other hand, was confused why she wasn’t able to access it even when away from the states. “I’m in The Bahamas, why is my TikTok banned?” she expressed.
The biggest sting, however, could have been for the Cavinder twins still in college. The two have admitted to social media tremendously benefitting them, holding an NIL value of $2 million. “You can take TikTok out of the US, but you can’t take it out of us,” they shared. For another WNBA star, Lexie Brown, it was more than just brand building or source of entertainment.
“Tik tok helped me get through my Crohn’s diagnosis so much,” the LA Sparks star revealed. “Literally found a little community of people that struggle with it as well. I have my entire experience on there. from when my symptoms first started, to officially getting diagnosed, etc. that space to be vulnerable and transparent 100% kept me positive and motivated to get back.”
Looks like the WNBA stars are to hope ByteDance secures a buyer.
