Reese is one of the WNBA’s primary targets of misogynoir, a reality that unfairly diminishes her role in the growth of the game, her excellence, and the joy she spreads.
You're right about Reese and about the White Savior narrative. Clark's racist followers are the most vile and obnoxious in the history of the W. The league can do without them. Clark has verbally supported Reese and women of color many times, while decrying racism.
I'd like to see Reese improve her offensive game, but her defense and especially her rebounding are just incredible! I'm a Minnesotan and Sylvia Fowles is my favorite Lynx. But nobody in W history rebounds like Reese. She's going to own every record in the books by a big margin when she's done done. O boards, D boards, doesn't matter. Reese will get them. Just work on shooting Angel! This 72 yo white woman has your back.
Basketball seems to thrive when they can boil it down to a contest between 2 superstars. I'm old enough to remember Wilt Chamberlain versus Bill Russell, and Larry Bird versus Magic Johnson. There were other pairings that escape me now (and I can't remember who, if anyone, was good enough to be paired with Michael Jordan). What makes it even more interesting is that those pairs had very different strengths and styles- Chamberlain still holds the single game scoring record of 100 points, and Russell is widely acknowledged as the greatest defensive player in the history of the game. Interestingly, while the pairs competed fiercely, off the court they were typically friends.
It seems to me that Reese and Clark fit that competitive mold very well, and it's good for the game.
Reese memorabilia and trading cards sales are a small fraction of the Caitlin merchandise. If she would have displayed more character, who knows how much more attraction it would have been - for both. Bird vs Johnson - they both knew who the enemy was on the court. Off the court they did not cause the reality you speak of above. They "saved" NBA with their classiness and demeanor on and off the court
You're right about Reese and about the White Savior narrative. Clark's racist followers are the most vile and obnoxious in the history of the W. The league can do without them. Clark has verbally supported Reese and women of color many times, while decrying racism.
I'd like to see Reese improve her offensive game, but her defense and especially her rebounding are just incredible! I'm a Minnesotan and Sylvia Fowles is my favorite Lynx. But nobody in W history rebounds like Reese. She's going to own every record in the books by a big margin when she's done done. O boards, D boards, doesn't matter. Reese will get them. Just work on shooting Angel! This 72 yo white woman has your back.
Basketball seems to thrive when they can boil it down to a contest between 2 superstars. I'm old enough to remember Wilt Chamberlain versus Bill Russell, and Larry Bird versus Magic Johnson. There were other pairings that escape me now (and I can't remember who, if anyone, was good enough to be paired with Michael Jordan). What makes it even more interesting is that those pairs had very different strengths and styles- Chamberlain still holds the single game scoring record of 100 points, and Russell is widely acknowledged as the greatest defensive player in the history of the game. Interestingly, while the pairs competed fiercely, off the court they were typically friends.
It seems to me that Reese and Clark fit that competitive mold very well, and it's good for the game.
Reese memorabilia and trading cards sales are a small fraction of the Caitlin merchandise. If she would have displayed more character, who knows how much more attraction it would have been - for both. Bird vs Johnson - they both knew who the enemy was on the court. Off the court they did not cause the reality you speak of above. They "saved" NBA with their classiness and demeanor on and off the court
I'm sure the 12-year-olds are loving the new trend in cereal-box imagery... Talk about eye candy...
Misogynoir. What ( sadly! Maddeningly!) a perfect word for this. Great piece, Owen !