Angel Reese Embraces ‘Bad Guy’ Role Amidst WNBA Popularity Debate

Angel Reese received much negative attention after standing up and applauding when Caitlin Clark was victimized by a hard foul on Saturday; however, instead of trying to correct that “bad guy” image, she’s leaning into it.

On Monday, Reese spoke to reporters to discuss the aftermath of Saturday’s game. But she also talked about the state of play in the WNBA and who is responsible for the league’s surge in popularity.

“People are pulling up to games. We got celebrities coming to games, sold out arenas, just because of one single game. And just look at that. I’ll take that role. I’ll take the bad guy role. And I’ll continue to take that on and be that villain for my teammates. If I wanna be that, I know I’ll go down in history. I’ll look back in 20 years like the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person. It’s because of me too. I want y’all to realize that.”

However, when you look at attendance, Clark’s impact is felt acutely.

So, the final verdict? Take Caitlin Clark away, and no one is talking about a revival of the WNBA to any serious degree. Take Angel Reese away, and it wouldn’t make much of a difference.