More than 10 million people tuned into last week’s NCAA Division I women’s basketball championship game between Iowa and LSU. For many, what they saw was a bit of a revelation. They saw young women like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese of LSU, play basketball at its highest level, exhibiting shot making and athleticism to a degree only dreamed about when women first started playing the game in the early 20th century. They also saw something likely not imagined back in those early days of peach baskets and courts divided into third: the exuberance and cockiness of Clark and Reese and their teammates. Throughout the season, Clark, who was among the nation’s leaders in scoring and assists, gesticulated to crowds and at opponents, most frequently paying an homage to wrestler Jon Cena by waving her hand in front of her face, taking to mean ‘you can’t see me.’ So, late in last Sunday’s contest, with the game no longer in doubt, Reese, a Baltimore native, returned Clark’s gesture at her, following her around the court for a few seconds. Then, Reese added a twist, pointing to her ring finger, the place where her championship jewelry would eventually go. It was the ultimate in your face moment, and touched off a torrent of attacks aimed at Reese, who is Black, as social media commentators called her trash and worse. Reese’s supporters, who see the criticism in racial terms, are entirely right in that perspective. Angel Reese or any other player of color should be able to wave and taunt and humiliate an opponent the same way Caitlin Clark or any White player does. Indeed, in the week after the game, Clark took pains to say she was not offended by what Reese did and felt any criticism of her fellow junior was unwarranted. She’s right, of course, but in this case, two things can be true at the same time. Yes, players of all ethnicities should be free to conduct themselves as they please, but maybe, just maybe, they shouldn’t want to. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with finding whatever it takes to get yourself motivated to play a game, particularly at the level that Reese and Clark play at. But, as quaint as it may sound, the game, whether it’s basketball or football or a backyard whiffle ball contest is bigger than any one contestant. Or at least it should be. There’s nothing wrong with expressing oneself, but that self-congratulation should come in an athletic contest within the context of the game. No one who saw Angel Reese set a record for most double-doubles or who watched Caitlin Clark score 41 points in successive tournament games will forget that. Shouldn’t that be enough? And make no mistake, this isn’t a misogynistic take. Watching men flex and preen and stop to admire their individual achievements in team contests is just as off-putting as watching women do it. It is true that every dog has his day. Athletes ought to remember that especially for the time when the fire hydrant shoots back. And that’s how I see it for this week. You can reach us via email with your questions and comments at Sports at Large at gmail.com. And follow me on Twitter at Sports at Large. Until next week, for all of us here, I’m Milton Kent. Thanks for listening and enjoy the games.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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