Some fans of Caitlin Clark have taken her on-court rivalry with Angel Reese too far, prompting retired WNBA star Renee Montgomery to speak out. Reese has previously revealed the racist abuse directed at her by some of Clark’s supporters, including disturbing incidents where fake AI nudes of Reese were created and sent to her family.
On her podcast, Montgomery and Company, Montgomery addressed the troubling behavior within Clark’s fanbase, stating, “Something sinister is happening online with Caitlin’s fanbase and these stans that needs to be addressed.”
Montgomery emphasized that many fans share her concerns, clarifying, “That ain’t a representation of us. Y’all not like us, they not like us.” She urged listeners not to conflate passionate support with harmful behavior, stressing that “motivated by hate” should not be mistaken for the typical enthusiasm of a diehard fan.
On @MontgomeryCoPod I address Caitlin Clark Stans. A hit dog will holla pic.twitter.com/UZDmiqnlqa
— Renee Montgomery (@ReneeMontgomery) September 17, 2024
‘It’s OK to be a hater in sports, hating in sports is a part of the game,’ she continued. ‘I like when our fans are so engaged and so passionate that they just don’t like the other team. But being racist, 𝓈ℯ𝓍ist and violent with your words – come on now, what are we doing?’
Montgomery noted that Clark is ‘not asking’ racist or 𝓈ℯ𝓍ist fans to latch themselves onto her, while Reese has previously called Clark an ‘amazing player’ and said she doesn’t believe the Indiana Fever star condones hate.
Nonetheless, Montgomery said, ‘it seems they [racists and 𝓈ℯ𝓍ists] found a home in this fanbase.’
Speaking on her Unapologetically Angel podcast earlier this month, Reese detailed some of the abuse she’s faced at the hands of Clark super-fans.
‘Sometimes it is very disrespectful,’ she said. ‘I think there is a lot of racism when it comes to it and I don’t believe [Clark] stands for any of that.’
The Chicago Sky star, who is missing the rest of the WNBA season with a wrist injury, added that she had been followed home at times and received death threats.
‘When it comes to death threats – I’m talking about people coming down to my address, follow me home – it has come down to that.
Angel Reese on her relationship with Caitlin Clark ��Watch full episode here: https://t.co/PRkTaOQ3PO pic.twitter.com/VXGafURpvk
— Unapologetically Angel (@angelreeseshow) September 5, 2024
Angel Reese has bravely shared her painful experiences with harassment, revealing that multiple times, people have created disturbing AI-generated images of her, including explicit ones. “They have sent them to my family members. Uncles have sent them to me like, ‘Are you naked on Instagram?'” she explained. “It sucks to see that; it is really hard that I have to go through that and see other players that have to go through that.”
Reese and Caitlin Clark have experienced their share of contentious moments on the court, dating back to their college days, including Reese’s mocking gestures during the closing stages of the 2023 national championship. However, both players have expressed admiration for each other’s s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s this year, with Clark previously downplaying the notion of a rivalry.
“I’m pretty sure that the only people who view this as a rivalry is all of you,” Clark stated during a media session in June. “For us, it’s just a game of basketball. That’s what it is. If it’s going to help move the game forward, then absolutely (she’s a rival). That’s amazing. That’s what it should be. People can talk about it.”
Their mutual respect highlights the importance of supporting one another in the sport, despite the external pressures and narratives.
