Can we just let women basketball players be competitive without the negative commentary?
College and WNBA athletes are finally getting the recognition they’ve worked tirelessly to obtain. However, this newfound attention brings over an analysis of their personal and professional lives.
People disgustingly criticize women basketball players for everything, including body language and how they speak. Angel Reese won a Championship with LSU in 2023 and has been torn apart by spectators ever since.
Do her skills and confidence offend them? Is it the way she dominantly plays? Her ability to talk trash and back it up? It could be that she’s not allowing them to place negative narratives on her.
It’s a mixture of all those things and then some. Yet, those same things help male players gain respect, especially trash talk.
Trash Talk – the competitive language used to boost confidence or intimidate the opposing player/team.
Trash Talk has always been a fun component of sports. It shows how competitive an athlete can be and entertains fans.
From “You too little” to “You can’t guard me,” these phrases boost confidence for those playing and who they’re playing against. Male athletes are praised for “getting under their competitors’ skin.”
So, why can’t women do the same? Why are they called bitter, or their behavior is unsportsmanlike?
They don’t need to log onto social media and see think pieces of why the “men’s league is better,” which, by the way, both leagues are impactful in their own way.
They shouldn’t have to suppress their emotions; if they feel like crying, they have every right to express it and are still allowed to talk sh*t.
Sure, criticism is a part of the game. But we must remember that these are humans. They have feelings, too.
You can watch the games and share your opinions without being a troll. Women’s basketball is growing; join the fun or sit back and lose out on a good time.
This article is part of Lashaunta Moore’s sports opinion column, “Check The Stats.” Expect content (news and rants) centered on the NFL, NBA, WNBA, and UFL.
