In the past week, the discourse around Reese’s flaunting has eclipsed the championship itself — which is a shame, because the basketball was superb, belied by a clear mutual respect between two teams who very much deserved to face off in an arena where ticket prices started at $150, compared to $39 for the men’s final. (The women’s championship also attracted a record-breaking 9.9 million viewers on average, making it the most-watched college sporting event ever on ESPN+.) And yes, Reese was the epitome of cool in the post-game press conference when she responded to comments she’s seen on social media claiming she’s too aggressive, too hood, not lady-like, and far from the desired image of a college women’s basketball player. She’s been defending her right to talk trash as an athlete throughout the season — and even when she was still in high school, after catching word that a white coach at a rival school said she had “zero humility or impulse control,” and that she wasn’t talented, but “genetically blessed.” And still, Reese broke records, inked deals, and captured the attention of everyone from Lil Wayne to Gabrielle Union and Shaq, with a lash game as tough as her offensive rebounds.
