It was 2023 when Angel Reese and LSU defeated Caitlin Clark’s Iowa team in the national championship game. Reese taunted Clark in the final seconds—you must remember that ring-pointing gesture—and just like that, she became a national headline. What followed was a whirlwind. From college stardom to WNBA draft night glitz, Reese’s life completely flipped. But while the basketball moved forward, the chatter around the so-called Reese-Clark “rivalry” got even louder… and honestly, a whole lot messier.

But you know what we often forget? Rivalry brings fame of both kinds. The flashy applause and the ugly booing from the shadows. For Angel, it’s been a whole lot of the latter. Former WNBA champ Val Whiting recently came forward with a heartbreaking revelation: Reese’s mom, Angel Webb, shared with her some truly disgusting, racist messages allegedly sent by Clark’s fans. 

And no, this wasn’t just online trolling. This was raw, violent, and personal hate. One message even read, “Black b—- you disgust me with your silly jealous antics… stop teaching your daughter to be jealous to get attention!” Whiting didn’t hold back at that time in calling this out, and neither did Reese.

On UNINTERRUPTED, Reese opened up about the toll it’s taken on her and her family. “The first year was tough,” she admitted. “Everybody attacked me on social media every single day, every single night. Sleepless nights… people following you home, knowing your address, knowing your mama’s address. My mama can’t go out nowhere like it was hard.” 

Like, imagine just trying to live your life and having to worry if it’s even safe for your own mom to leave the house. Still, despite the trauma, Reese found growth in the chaos. “It really helped me become a better person,” she said. “A better woman, a better individual.” And it shows as she is now helping others. When one of the top NCAA players in the transfer portal recently called her in distress over the hate she was receiving, Angel was right there. “She asked, ‘Angel, how do you deal with this? I’ve never dealt with this before.’” 

And Reese told her the truth—she’s taken punches from all directions, but now she stands so others can too. “Y’all can beat me up all y’all want, but everybody can’t take the things that I’ve taken so I try to just be there and just try to be somebody that they look up to and just try to be as strong as I can.”  But the best part is she is not regretting any of it. “Do I regret it? No, I’m glad everything happened the way it did,” she said. Because honestly, it’s not about the game or players. It’s about the extremists who call themselves fans.

Even in the very first episode of her new “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, Reese went out of her way to praise Clark, before revealing the harassment she’s been facing, including death threats, having people follow her home, and even fabricated pictures of her circulating via AI, some of which were sent to her family.

“But it’s really just the fans—her fans, the Iowa fans, now the Indiana fans—that are like, they ride for her, and I respect that. But sometimes it’s very disrespectful,” she said. And it’s not just Reese. The Chicago Sky team has also felt the ugly side. Take, for example, Chennedy Carter’s unintentional shoulder check on Clark, followed by her refusal to answer questions about it. It’s one of many hard fouls Clark has had to endure this season. And the Sky claimed one individual went even further, harassing Carter at a team hotel. Another Sky player, Diamond DeShields, even barreled into Clark, later sharing an account where someone wished for her spinal tumor to return.

This is exactly what needs to stop—not just the hatred from Clark’s fans but from Reese’s fans too. Rivalries are supposed to fuel sports spirit, not become a breeding ground for toxicity. It is fun, sure, but it should always be healthy and respectful.

For now, though, Reese is only getting stronger. She’s on her path, and through it all, she continues to show gratitude for her mother, who has been by her side every step of the way. 

When Angel Reese surprised her mom with the ultimate gift

There’s really nothing quite as heartwarming in sports as an athlete showing love and appreciation for the family that’s been there through thick and thin. And Angel Reese gave us a seriously feel-good moment when she surprised her mom with a birthday gift that went beyond anything you’d expect.

So, during her “Unapologetically Angel” podcast back in January, Reese did something super special. She handed her mom, Angel Webb Reese, a birthday cake. But that was just the start. Right after the cake, Reese dropped a bombshell that had her mom absolutely floored. She said, “You said that if your mortgage was paid off, you would retire. Or you can pick if you want to work still. So your mortgage today has been paid.”

Reese’s mom nearly dropped the cake when she heard that. And then, the waterworks came. Webb Reese broke down in tears, and the two of them just shared this big, emotional hug. Reese, so overwhelmed with the moment, shouted out, “Happy birthday!” And you could just feel the love pouring out.

This moment wasn’t just a gift; it was a beautiful reminder of everything Reese’s mom has done for her. She’s always credited her mom for being the driving force behind her career, both in college and now in the pros. Reese has shared how her mother, a former college basketball star herself, was the one who taught her how to play the game when she was just a little kid.

So, for the WNBA star, paying off her mom’s mortgage wasn’t just some sweet gesture; it was a dream come true. She said it herself. Angel Reese’s journey is just getting started, but this heartwarming moment will stay with her fans forever. The gratitude keeps on coming, and we’re surely going to see a lot more of it as her career continues to soar.