“Not Just Basketball”: Jemele Hill’s Angel Reese Take Exposes Deeper Divide in WNBA Discourse
The rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark isn’t just about stats. It’s about storytelling—and who controls it.
On her podcast Spolitics, Jemele Hill sparked controversy by claiming Angel Reese could be “the Michael Jordan of the WNBA” and is “already playing better” than Clark. But Hill wasn’t just comparing box scores—she was challenging bias.
“The way people talk about Reese versus Clark tells you everything about the racialized lens we still apply to women in sports,” Hill said.
Hill’s point? The media lauds Clark’s intensity as “competitive” while branding Reese as “classless” for the same passion. One is marketable. The other, “too political.” It’s a double standard with deep racial and cultural roots.
Reese leads all rookies in rebounds and double-doubles, yet criticism follows her closely. Meanwhile, Clark’s struggles are often pinned on teammates or officiating.
Hill’s comparison to Michael Jordan wasn’t about legacy—it was about energy. Reese plays with swagger, grit, and leadership. And in Hill’s words:
“Jordan wasn’t beloved for being quiet… Angel plays with that same fire.”
The debate Jemele Hill reignited isn’t divisive—it’s necessary. Because the WNBA’s future depends not just on stars like Clark and Reese, but on how we see them.
