Angel Reese showers love on WNBPA leadership for strong stand against WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert's remarks

Angel Reese has expressed her admiration for the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) for standing up against commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s remarks about the league benefiting from what she described as a racial rivalry between the Chicago Sky rookie and Caitlin Clark.

The WNBPA issued a pointed statement on Tuesday criticizing Engelbert's controversial comments about the league getting more interest because of the white vs. Black narrative between Clark and Reese.

Angel Reese took to X (formerly Twitter) to show her appreciation for WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson, who condemned Engelbert's remarks for fostering toxic fan behavior.

“I LOVE ME SOME MS. TERRI CARMICHAEL JACKSON,” Angel Reese said.

She also shouted out Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, the WNBPA president, encouraging her to speak up next, saying:

“Momma @nnekaogwumike you’re on the clock sista! 😇”

The WNBPA's statement emphasized that Engelbert should have addressed the racism, misogyny and harassment faced by WNBA players to foster a more positive fan environment.

“Fandom should lift up the game, not tear down the very people who bring it to life. Racism, and the toll it takes on everyone, is never tolerable, let alone justifiable, in the name of economic growth,” the statement read.

“This is about more than just basketball—it's about respect, accountability, and setting the standard for what we will and will not accept in our sport and society.”

Jackson criticized the notion of racial rivalries as a basis for league success, asserting that Engelbert’s comments perpetuate harmful fan behavior.

“This is not about rivalries or iconic personalities fueling a business model. This kind of toxic fandom should never be tolerated or left unchecked. It demands immediate action, and frankly, should have been addressed long ago,” she said.

Reese also shared the statement in a story on Instagram, where she said:

"THANK YOU!!!"

Reese reacts to the WNBPA's statement via IG Stories

On CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” Engelbert drew a parallel between the rising viewership and interest in the league, driven by rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, and the impact of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the 1980s.

Engelbert said one player being white and the other Black helped draw interest in the rivalry.

“It is a little like that Bird-Magic moment, if you recall from 1979, when those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry—one white, one black. We have that moment with these two, but the one thing I know about sports is that you need rivalry,” she said. (3:14 mark)

“That's what makes people watch; they want to watch games of consequence between rivals. They don't want everybody being nice to one another.” (3:24 mark)

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WNBPA exec says Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark helped the WNBA

In her statement, Terri Carmichael Jackson acknowledged the increased interest in the WNBA due to Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.

“As Director of the WNBPA, now in my ninth season, I can say that we wholeheartedly welcome the rising interest in the WNBA over the past few years, particularly the surge in fandom sparked by this electrifying rookie class, led by Angel and Caitlin,” she said.

Clark and Reese are credited with driving up WNBA viewership, with two of their games drawing over two million viewers each. Additionally, 25 of the top 30 most-watched games this season featured the Indiana Fever.

Clark and Reese are also ranked as the top two players in jersey sales for the first half of 2024.