Women's basketball has never been more popular, which is great for the sport, but comes with the seemingly inevitable downside of its players receiving more scrutiny as fans grow increasingly invested. Such has been the case for Angel Reese, Louisiana State University's power forward who — along with University of Iowa point guard Caitlin Clark — is predicted to be top picks in Monday night's WNBA draft.
The 21-year-old star player is at the center of a maelstrom of hate and internet trolling that began last year. When Reese led her team to a national championship against Clark, an interaction that some characterized as "trash-talking" went viral, prompting attacks from basketball fans, commentators and even sports journalists.
