“Why Angel Reese Became the Villain”: Taylor Rooks Calls Out Her Co-Host Over ‘Gender Neutral and Racially Indifferent’ Take

Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers crashed out of the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 after Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes handed them an 87-94 defeat. Despite being one of the most hyped players on the floor, fingers were quickly pointed at Reese for this defeat, with fans even villainizing the young star. When Reese tried talking about her struggles to reach the current stage of her career, former NFL player Emmanuel Acho reverted to the LSU star with a ‘gender neutral and racially indifferent’ take of his own.

Reposting a clip from his appearance on the ‘Speak Live’ show on X, Acho wrote, “In sports, you can’t act like the big bad wolf, then cry like courage the cowardly dog.” Through his take, Acho highlighted how Angel Reese needed to accept her defeat like any professional athlete. However, Acho’s co-host, Taylor Rooks, had a strikingly different opinion to refute this take.

Rooks responded to Acho’s tweet with a lengthy paragraph to highlight the systemic discrimination based on gender and race that black women often face. Regarding Angel Reese’s villainization, Rooks wrote,

“Your response here is full of opinions that indirectly (and directly) involve both race and gender. It’s just coded to unsuccessfully soften the blow. You have to ask why Angel became the villain. You have to ask why her role as ‘villain’ has not allowed her to also be human.” 

Respectfully, colleague – The disappointing thing about this take is you actually can’t have an informed opinion on this if you are choosing to be gender neutral and racially indifferent. Because that is impossible. Her existence as a black woman shapes both how she is seen by… https://t.co/MCffgUbace

— Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) April 3, 2024

Rooks seemingly disagreed with her co-host’s take, which she believed was formed from the existing prejudices and ideas about race and gender. She believed that Acho’s reasoning for Angel Reese’s statements proves the point he is fighting against.

To conclude her take, Rooks wrote, I hope you look around and notice the people that have delighted and applauded seeing a black man get on television and give THIS opinion on a young black woman. Because it’s not for the reasons you think.” 

Angel Reese admits to being attacked and threatened several times

After the LSU Tigers crashed out of the NCAA tournament this season, a tearful Angel Reese broke down in front of the press after this defeat. The young star admitted to having been attacked several times in the past since her team won the NCAA tournament last year. Reese revealed,

“I have been through so much. I have seen so much. I have been attacked so many times. Death threats. I have been sexualized. I have been threatened.” 

Despite all such pressure and hate, Reese stood her ground to get through the rest of the season. Adding to her statement, she told CNN,  “I’ve been so many things and I’ve stood strong every single time. I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and not be there for them … I’m still a human.”

Nevertheless, Reese has officially declared for the WNBA draft after facing defeat in the final game of her college career. She rose in fame after she led the LSU women’s team to their first national title last year. According to ESPN’s latest mock draft, the LSU star is a projected first-round pick, slated to be chosen No.7 by the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA.