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‘Bayou Barbie’ unapologetic over gestures to Iowa’s Clark

  • LSU's Angel Reese sparked social media debate with on-court gesture
  • Those defending Reese say Caitlin Clark was lauded for the same gesture
  • Reese's critics say her actions were "classless"

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DALLAS (AP) — LSU’s Angel Reese waved her hand in front of her face while staring down Caitlin Clark, then pointed toward her finger as if to say a ring was coming while walking toward the Iowa star.

The gestures late in the Tigers’ 102-85 victory in the NCAA championship game Sunday lit up social media, with comments supporting the “Bayou Barbie” for trash talk that’s just part of the game and condemning her for lacking grace in victory.

The junior from Baltimore, who transferred from Maryland to join LSU coach Kim Mulkey, was unapologetic in the postgame news conference.

“All year, I was critiqued about who I was,” Reese said. “I don’t fit in a box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. But when other people do it, y’all say nothing. So this was for the girls that look like me, that’s going to speak up on what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you.”

Clark, the scoring sensation who was the first with consecutive 40-point games in an NCAA Tournament, made the face-waving gesture to no one in particular during an Elite Eight victory over Louisville.

The Associated Press Player of the Year wasn’t shy about showing her emotions when the Hawkeyes knocked off undefeated defending national champion South Carolina in the semifinals.

If she saw Reese’s gestures, Clark didn’t seem concerned about them.

“I was just trying to get to the handshake line and shake hands and be grateful that my team was in that position,” said Clark, who scored 30 points. “That’s all you can do is hold your head high, be proud of what you did. All the credit in the world to LSU. They were tremendous.”

Reese’s gesture sparked fiery debate on social media with Barstool Sports founder, among many others, criticizing Reese for being “classless.”

“She taunted Clark with 10 seconds left in a game that was long over. Talking s*** in the moment is 1 thing. Doing it when she did was #classless and that’s why it’s trending,” tweeted David Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports.

In response, many pointed out that Clark made the same gesture in previous games.

“That’s what we mad at?! Wave. That’s what we mad at?!” said former NFL player Emmanuel Acho on TikTok. “She (Clark) did. The same. Thing. In the elite 8! Do not call Angel Reese CLASSLESS, but then praise Caitlin Clark as a hero.”

Both women made basketball history Sunday with Clark scoring 191 points, the most in a single NCAA tournament—men or women. Reese tallied her 34th double-double of the season, breaking the NCAA record.

“Twitter can say what Twitter can say,” Reese said. “I love reading those comments. I have all the screenshots of what everybody has said about me all season. What are you going to say now?”

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