Jason Whitlock believes Angel Reese owes some of her fame to Caitlin Clark and even suggests nobody would even know her name at all without Caitlin Clark……..
In a recent hot take that quickly lit up social media, Jason Whitlock claimed that Angel Reese owes her fame to Caitlin Clark—and went so far as to say that nobody would even know her name if not for Clark. It’s the kind of polarizing, click-hungry commentary we’ve come to expect from Whitlock, but this one doesn’t just miss the mark—it completely erases the accomplishments, presence, and cultural impact of one of college basketball’s most influential stars.
Let’s set the record straight.
Angel Reese didn’t just ride the coattails of Caitlin Clark’s stardom—she created her own legacy. Before the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament even tipped off, Reese was already a household name among women’s college hoops fans. She was a five-star recruit coming out of high school. She transferred to LSU and *dominated* the SEC. During LSU’s national championship run, she averaged a double-double and set the NCAA single-season record for most double-doubles. That’s not fame by association—that’s putting up historic numbers on the biggest stage.
And yes, that 2023 title game *was* electric. Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese became an instant classic, and their on-court rivalry sparked national attention. But the idea that Angel Reese was a passive beneficiary of Caitlin Clark’s popularity is as lazy as it is disrespectful. That moment didn’t *create* Angel Reese—it amplified what she had already built through years of hard work, big performances, and bold personality.
More importantly, framing Reese’s fame as a byproduct of Clark’s success leans into a deeper issue: the constant need to compare women athletes through a zero-sum lens. Why must one woman’s rise come at the expense of another’s recognition? Both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have pushed women’s basketball forward. They’ve both elevated the game—Clark with her Steph Curry-like range and court vision, Reese with her dominant presence in the paint and unflinching swagger.
What Whitlock’s comment really highlights is the way some voices in media are still uncomfortable when confident, Black women command the spotlight. Angel Reese is unapologetic. She talks her talk. She celebrates loud, she points to her ring, and she does it all without needing permission. For some, that’s threatening. But for fans of the game—and for a generation of young girls watching—it’s empowering.
No, Angel Reese doesn’t owe her fame to Caitlin Clark. She owes it to her own skill, work ethic, charisma, and leadership. If anything, the 2023 championship run—and everything that’s followed—proved that women’s basketball has room for *many* stars. Clark and Reese don’t cancel each other out; they elevate each other, and the entire sport.
So let’s stop trying to rewrite the story. Angel Reese *is* the moment—and she earned it all on her own.
