The 2023 ESPY Awards took an unexpected turn. Angel Reese, the breakout star of the LSU women’s basketball team, won the prestigious “Breakout Athlete” award. While fans initially celebrated her victory, outrage sparked among them after Reese’s speech and a subsequent tweet from ESPN. It also reignited the rivalry between Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.

Let’s dive into the fan reactions and the controversy surrounding Reese’s remarks and the infamous gesture.

Angel Reese: ESPY Award win and speech

Angel Reese is known for her remarkable performance with the Louisiana State Tigers in the NCAA women’s basketball championship. Recently, she received the “Breakout Athlete” award at the ESPYs. Athletes who take massive leaps in a single season and play significantly better than before receive this acclaim.

Upon receiving the trophy, the 21-year-old was extremely grateful to her mom. She thanked her and mentioned that her mom, “put me and my brother through college.” In her acceptance speech, she expressed gratitude to her team, coaches, and LSU, and confidently proclaimed, “Another natty is coming, period.”

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However, her speech took a controversial turn when Reese mocked Caitlin Clark, a fellow nominee, with the “You can’t see me” gesture, drawing immediate backlash from fans. Fans instantly flooded the tweet from ESPN with replies, slamming Reese.

Fans “cringe hard” at Reese

Reese’s gesture, made famous by John Cena, ignited a firestorm of criticism from fans. Some felt it was disrespectful and uncalled for. Moreover, it reignited the infamous rivalry between her and Clark. Famously, in the NCAA championship game, Reese had pulled the same gesture after defeating Clark’s team. And just like before, fans flooded the replies with their disappointment.

Some were straight-up not impressed with Reese’s game.

However, this fan had a quick retort to the “no one knew” Reese arguments. He came to her defense with a promising stat.

Famously, Clark started doing the “you can’t see me” long before Reese. This fan thinks that Clark has all the real estate in Reese’s head.

One fan emphatically proclaimed that he “threw up” after hearing the speech.

Another fan was “cringing” about Angel’s choice of words during her speech.

Some argued that Clark deserved the award and highlighted her exceptional achievements in the sport.

If we had to sum it up, this tweet probably captures the fans sentiment the best.

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Angel Reese’s ESPY Award win, combined with her controversial gesture toward Caitlin Clark, has created a storm of fan outrage and divided opinions. While Reese’s victory initially celebrated her impressive breakout season, her mocking gesture has overshadowed the moment and sparked widespread criticism.

As the story unfolds, it remains to be seen how Reese and the larger basketball community will address the controversy. However, the fans’ outrage puts stress on the importance of sportsmanship and respect in the world of sports.