Only the most popular athletes get to be called the "face" of a sport, and it isn't any different for basketball. But while the topic is entirely subjective, fans recently denied counting Angel Reese among the deserving contenders.

On April 1, an X post from TotalProSports went viral after asking a simple question. Its caption read, "Who is the face of basketball right now?" The accompanying image presented five options, viz. Caitlin Clark, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama, and Angel Reese.

The inclusion of WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese made sense, as the two have revolutionized the league even before setting foot in it. But several fans believed the latter didn't even deserve a spot in the five given options.

While CC is usually known as the face of the WNBA and is highly responsible for the league's immense rise in revenue and mainstream attention, the LSU heavyweight is not far off her throne.

The 23-year-old already had one of the best collegiate careers with LSU, where she developed her now-infamous rebounding skills, alongside properly utilizing her paint presence.

The crowning moment of her NCAA career arrived in the 2023 national championship, where she beat Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 to clinch their first-ever title.

Reese continued her run in the WNBA as the cornerstone of the Chicago Sky's system. The WNBA All-Star has averaged 14.1 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, already making her one of the best rebounders in the league in a short stint.

Additionally, Reese’s marketability portrays her as the perfect candidate to be considered the face of the league.

The 23-year-old has her own signature shoe line with Reebok and regularly features in promotional campaigns for brands such as McDonald’s, Reese’s, Coach, and Amazon, among others.

However, the current consensus among fans suggests that the Chicago Sky forward is still far from being considered the "face" of the sport.

Fans React to Angel Reese's Inclusion in the 'Face of Basketball' Debate

While Reese's accolades are endless, fans still have opined that the 23-year-old needs more time to catch up to the level of Clark for the title of the face of WNBA, let alone the tag of the face of basketball alongside the likes of James and Wemby.

"Wemby-NBA Clark-WNBA lol-Reese", one user put Clark over Reese. Another user shared the same sentiment, "Wemby and Caitlin."

"I promise u Reese isn't the first person anyone thinks about." One user opined.

"Now why y’all put Angel Reese in this??" Another user suggested that Reese is currently not on the players' level mentioned in the post.

"Quit putting Brick Barbie on these graphics! LMAO" One comment expressed.

To Reese's credit, she is still only 23 with her whole career ahead of her. She also featured in Team USA's latest lineups for the FIBA WCQs over the likes of A'ja Wilson. The sky's the limit for the Chicago Sky native.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Souvik Roy