Angel Reese is one of the most popular athletes in sports and with that notoriety comes its share of hardships. However, with the advancement of technology, the issues Reese faces are different than those of past greats. The WNBA star opened up about her experiences navigating the growth of AI and the breeding ground for fake news.
Advertisement
Reese took to her Unapologetically Angel Podcast to share her thoughts on AI. Her longtime manager, Jeanine Ogbonnaya, joined in the conversation to shed light on the difficulties of a female athlete concerning AI. Reese pointed out how easily people believe fake news and AI, even using a relative as an example. She said,
“People believe it. Somebody came up to me and asked me, ‘Oh, you got banned from the WNBA?’ My worst one was when like literally my uncle sent me an AI picture.”
This Angel AI story is WILD 😳🤖 pic.twitter.com/DqrqZn8OrI
— Unapologetically Angel (@angelreeseshow) December 26, 2024
Reese isn’t a stranger to criticism. However, the use of AI to tarnish her brand is in a completely different ballpark. One of the biggest fake news stories surrounding Reese insinuated that the Chicago Sky star received a lifetime ban from the WNBA. The fake reports suggested that Reese was using illegal PEDs. Reese didn’t have trouble debunking that narrative. Moreover, she revealed the worst experience consisted of an interaction involving her uncle.
The 6-foot-3 forward recalled an instance when her uncle sent her obscene AI-generated pictures of herself under the assumption it was real. Both Reese and Jeanine display their disgust but can recognize this is, unfortunately, a problem that will stay. “We tried to take down everything, but you literally can’t,” Jeanine said. “There’s freedom of speech.”
The WNBA did not ban Angel Reese
In October, a viral claim made the rounds on the internet stating the WNBA had banned Angel Reese for the use of steroids. The source of these claims came from YouTube and Facebook posts, which people quickly proved to be fraudulent.
These claims failed to provide any evidence nor did the WNBA make a statement addressing the situation. They alluded that Reese’s absences for the remainder of the season were due to her punishment from the league. In reality, it was due to a wrist injury.
Additionally, the source, a YouTube channel titled ‘Basket Hoops’ were die-hard Caitlin Clark fans. Therefore, it is safe to assume they meant for the video to serve as propaganda against Reese, a rival of Clark.
These rumors are fake and there is no truth whatsoever. Reese will suit up in the inaugural season of the Unrivaled League, and then return to the WNBA for her sophomore season.
