On April 1st, TotalProSports posted a controversial poll question on X: “Who is the face of basketball right now?” The image posted along with the post included five options: Caitlin Clark, Nikola Jokić, LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama, and, of course, Angel Reese. While it was aimed at both the men’s and women’s sides of basketball, most of the comments seem to be a fight about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. While some argued that Reese shouldn’t even have made the list at all, there were plenty of fans who believed that she has changed the game. As one fan strongly voiced, “Definitely Angel Reese. You’re racist if you disagree with me.”
The reactions to the X post say a lot more about perception than actual performance on court, because if you’ve actually watched Angel Reese play in those signature Reebok sneakers over this last year, you know very well that she didn’t get picked for her looks. At just 23 years old, she’s already built a solid career in basketball – one that many other players would kill for.
In fact, when anyone says the words “women’s basketball” these days, her name – and her deal with Reebook – always comes up.
Sports fans still talk about the 2023 NCAA championship in 2026. Reese and the Tigers ran past Iowa 102–85, shutting down Clark’s title hopes and grabbing the program’s first national championship. Was that straight-up luck?
Reese’s transition into the WNBA hasn’t slowed down her pace or those numbers either. With the Chicago Sky, Reese is putting up 14.1 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Those are the kind of rebound numbers that jump off the page, right?
And she’s everywhere off the court, too. Reebok, McDonald’s, Coach, Amazon, fashion shoots, runways, magazine covers, ads… everywhere. You don’t get to be everywhere if you suck.
And yet, still, if you scroll through X, you’d swear that these people haven’t been paying attention – not to her sell-out Reebok sneakers nor to her game on the court. One user wrote, “Now why y’all put Angel Reese in this?? Smh.” Another doubled down with, “Luka Doncic & Caitlin Clark.” Someone else threw in, “It’s Paige Bueckers.”
Thankfully, a few people recognized Reese’s talents. “Obviously, Angle Reese,” wrote one user. “Definitely Angel Reese,” agreed another.
For some reason, a case for Caitlin Clark as the face of women’s basketball is easier for most fans to accept. And maybe they’re right too. I mean, she’s been tied to the WNBA’s surge, too. But being called the “face” of a sport, including basketball, isn’t just about stats. It’s about the story built around the player, too. It’s also about bringing visibility to the game.
And yes, Clark sits comfortably at the top, too. She’s done that too. But so has Reese. And she’s really not as far behind as some basketball fans want to believe.
Give it time, and this debate won’t feel so one-sided. Both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are champions. But only one of them has had a sold out signituare sneaker. We’re still waiting on Clark’s Nike drop.
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