The TikTok ban has sent shockwaves throughout the United States. And it has not even left the women’s basketball world. For many of these players, including the 2023 National Champion Angel Reese, TikTok has become a vital platform for building their personal brands, increasing their NIL value, and increasing the visibility of a sport that has long fought for recognition. With the Chinese-owned app now banned, this sudden restriction has left female basketball players facing an unexpected setback.

The ban has sparked a wave of outrage among athletes, with many taking to social media to voice their frustration and disappointment. For these players, the platform wasn’t just a source of entertainment. It was a medium to get brand deals and sponsorships. For some, it was a significant part of their income as well.

WNBA stars like Angel Reese, Rickea Jackson, Jonquel Jones, and the Cavinder twins have been vocal about their disappointment following the TikTok ban, which has left many athletes scrambling to adjust. Athletes, turned to social media to express their frustration, highlighting the impact of losing a platform that has been instrumental in building their off-court portfolio.

Angel Reese’s dominance on the court has never been in question, but, the recent TikTok ban has cast a spotlight on her financial challenges which she has been very outspoken about. The loss of 5.2 million followers overnight due to the ban has come as a huge blow to Reese’s income and left her frustration boiling over. She took to X to post a series of tweets showing just that.

 

Rickea Jackson also took to

X to express her disappointment as she tweeted, “I’LL LOVE YOU FOREVER TIKTOK💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔.” Meanwhile, Jonquel Jones was taken by surprise when she found her TikTok wasn’t working in the Bahamas. She shared her confusion on X, posting, “I’m in The Bahamas, why is my TikTok banned?”

The Cavinder twins, who just might be the pioneers in the sporting world to enter the social media platform to create visibility, also took to X to share their frustration, posting a bold video with the caption, “You can take TikTok out of the US, but you can’t take it out of us.”

Their defiant message echoed through the social media platforms, proving that while the app may be gone from the country, the spirit of the platform still runs deep within them.

Marina Mabrey of the Connecticut Sun too reacted, “Wow I was just about to post.” The WNBA star recently learned how to cook, thanks to her new teammate DiJonai Carrington, and was enjoying posting cooking videos on the social media app.

Fans have rallied around the Bayou Barbie offering unwavering support following her recent series of heartfelt social media posts. Their encouragement has been a source of comfort for Reese as she navigates this challenging time. A series of replies under her tweets read about how they’ll miss her TikToks while some also reassured her that the app would be back. Surely, the athletes would be hoping for the same.

TikTok was a game-changer for athletes like Angel Reese

TikTok’s impact was huge for the basketball world. It helped them get recognized and connect with fans all over the world. The best possible example of this is the Cavinder Twins. During the pandemic, they rose to stardom thanks to their videos on TikTok which also helped them secure a deal with WWE.

For athletes like Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, TikTok wasn’t just a source of income it became their sanctuary. A place to stay connected with their growing fanbase while having fun and sharing moments beyond the court. With their massive following, Reese and Bueckers effortlessly secured high-profile sponsorships, transforming their TikTok presence into a goldmine for brand partnerships.

But it wasn’t just about the brand deals, it was about creating an environment where they could be authentic, entertain their fans, and be entertained while also escaping from the negativity that exists in other social media platforms.

In a league where women often earn far less than their male counterparts, having one of your sources of income go away can be extremely challenging. It is disheartening to see the likes of Reese, Jackson, and the Cavinder Twins having to come out and talk about this but also refreshing to see the unwavering support from the fans.