Angel Reese has become one of the most polarizing figures in the WNBA. Her rivalry with Caitlin Clark during their college days marked the beginning of intense public scrutiny. But not everyone sees her that way, as a former LSU star and her ex-teammate opened up about the ‘Angel Reese Effect’ on the sport and drew fresh criticism from fans.

In an exclusive interview with basketball.com.au in July, which has resurfaced again, Last-Tear Poa revealed that she believes that Reese is the driving force behind the attention women’s basketball has been getting.

She said, “I might get hate for this, but she’s the main reason why women’s basketball changed that year. She brought intensity and stood on business. I loved playing with Angel. I wish I could again. She taught me a lot, on and off the court. Being the point guard, when I got the ball, she was running, she made things easy. And if we shot, she’d get the rebound. Her shoulders were heavy, but she wore that crown to the top.”

Angel Reese has been a lightning rod for criticism. During the 2025 WNBA season, she reportedly faced racial slurs and jeers from Indiana Fever fans during the Chicago Sky’s matchup in May, after Clark fouled Reese to prevent an open layup attempt, and Reese tried to confront Clark.

While many argue that the hate Reese gets is due to her outspoken personality, on-court actions, and performance, and is even fueled by racial and gender biases, her contribution to the sport as we know it today can’t be denied.

During her college career, the Bayou Barbie averaged 20.9 points and 14.4 rebounds per game and was tagged as the double-double machine after she recorded 61 double-doubles in her LSU career. When she joined the WNBA as a rookie, she set the WNBA single-season rebound record with 446 total boards and 13.1 rebounds per game. But that’s just on court.

Off the court, Angel Reese became the first professional basketball player (male or female) to land her solo cover on Vogue’s Winter 2025 issue. However, Poa’s comments, which celebrated Reese’s leadership, intensity, and influence, triggered a mixed response from fans when they resurfaced online.

Reactions pour in on Last-Tear Poa’s comments on Angel Reese

One fan questioned Reese’s influence, writing, “WHAT DID SHE TEACH YOU? HOW TO THROW YOUR FUTURE BASKETBALL CAREER AWAY? Or HOW TO MISS WIDE OPEN LAYUPS?”

Well, this criticism is nothing new, with many arguing that Reese launches layups off her palm rather than her fingertips. In July this year, with the WNBA season underway, one of Reese’s such plays got a lot of negative attention.

Against the Washington Mystics, Reese had the ball out near the three-point line, and with a simple 2-on-1 ahead, it should’ve been an easy score. She pushed through the lane and tried to finish at the rim, but the layup smacked the underside of the backboard. Before she could regroup, rookie Sonia Citron scooped it up for the Mystics and pushed the break the other way. It was one of those moments Reese would rather forget, the kind that had popped up a few times this season. Earlier in the year, she’d even gone through a stretch against the Liberty where she missed five straight layups without dishing it out.

Another fan remarked, “We already knew that. If Angel shook that girl’s hand and quietly walked back to the locker room after the national championship game, women’s basketball would not be where it is today.”

Back in the 2023 NCAA Women’s Championship, Angel Reese and LSU faced Caitlin Clark’s Iowa team in a highly anticipated matchup. In the closing moments of the game, Reese made a ‘you can’t see me’ gesture toward Clark, which drew massive attention from the media and the fans. In that game, Reese contributed 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, and her performance earned her the title of the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. However, that very game made her the villain as well.

However, Poa’s remarks had many supporting fans as well. “Real basketball followers knew this… it’s them hand wave heathens that’s oblivious,” one stated. Whereas another fan added, “Spot On 🎯.” Since the start of her career, Reese has built a massive following, so she’s long been aware that, along with her critics, she also has a strong base of supporters. In just the first year of her pro career, she had more Instagram followers than anyone else in the WNBA. As per the WNBA’s 2024 Impact Report, she was the biggest social media “mover” that season, gaining over 1.1 million Instagram followers.

With all the criticism and support she is getting, one fan concluded the debate with, “Actually dope to hear a player give another player her flowers 💯.” And it’s true that players supporting players is one moment every fan loves, irrespective of their sport, and even her arch-rival Caitlin Clark knows that as she opened up about Reese facing extreme hate in an interview with ESPN, where she said, “There’s no place for that in our game, there’s no place for that in society. Certainly, we want every person who comes into our arena, whether player or fan, to have a great experience.”

So, well, remember when Reese said, “I’ll look back in 20 years and be like, ‘yeah, the reason why [we’re] watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person’. It’s because of me, too, and I want y’all to realize that.” Poa believes Reese has already done that, and so do many others.