Hip-hop artist and media mogul Joe Budden sent a stern message to WNBA rookie Angel Reese about her image.
After a rookie season where Reese at one point even held the WNBA single-season rebound record but failed to hold it after season-ending surgery, Reese has leaned into brand-building off the court.
The 22-year-old women’s basketball star launched her own podcast “Unapolagetically Angel” before she was even done with her rookie season, and has kept releasing episodes every week even after her WNBA season ended early due to a wrist injury in early September.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark look on during the second half against the Chicago Sky on June 23, 2024 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The podcast has stirred controversy multiple times, including the very first episode when she spoke out against fans of rival player Caitlin Clark, alleging they had sent her death threats and made explicit AI images of her and sent them to her family. In her most recent episode, Reese interviewed the ex-girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce about their past relationship. This interview brought about a flurry of criticism, particularly from fans of Kelce’s new girlfriend, Taylor Swift.
Now Budden has advised Reese to pull back on some of the non-basketball publicity she has been chasing in recent months, during an episode of his podcast, “The Joe Budden Podcast,” via Sports Illustrated. Budden referenced a recent on-stage appearance of Reese during Nick Cannon’s “Wild ‘N Out” tour in Chicago.
“I’ve seen Angel Reese wildin’ out, I don’t know if I’ve seen her on ‘Wild N’ Out,'” Budden said. “Angel Reese won’t sit her f—-in’ a– down… She won’t go sit down somewhere for a second. There’s value in it.
“This is going to sound like I’m telling women what to do. But I ain’t.”
Sep 22, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; WNBA basketball player Angel Reese attends the game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
Budden also made it a point to compare Reese’s off-the-court habits to Clark’s. However, he also clarified that the comparison was not rooted in race.
“Whoever [Reese] got is telling her to go pop up everywhere. That’s not what Caitlin Clark’s people are saying, not to make it racial… We just on some star rookie s— now,” he said.
Clark ended up winning WNBA Rookie of the Year over Reese, earning all but one vote for the award. The lone vote that went against Clark was for Reese. However, it is a vote that has garnered heavy backlash from the women’s basketball community, as Clark outperformed the Sky rookie in every statistical category except rebounds.
Aug 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) looks to pass the ball against the Las Vegas Aces during the first half at Wintrust Arena. (Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)
Unlike Reese, Clark does not have a podcast and has refrained from making controversial comments at all during and after her rookie season.
The extent of Clark’s off-the-court publicity so far has been attending other sporting events, oftentimes with her boyfriend Connor McCaffery. Clark and McCaffery were seen sitting courtside at the Indiana Pacers’ preseason game vs. the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. Back in August, the two attended a New York Yankees game, and she took pictures with stars Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
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