Stirred up a strong reaction with latest special guest

Angel ReeseLAPRESSE

Angel Reese made headlines again this week with the latest episode of her podcast Unapologetically Angel. The episode gained major attention on social media, thanks to her special guest, Kayla Nicole, the ex-girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Nicole’s appearance on the podcast stirred up a strong reaction, especially from fans of Taylor Swift, who is currently dating Kelce. Nicole spoke openly about her past relationship with the NFL star, which ran from 2017 to 2022, but it was Swift’s fanbase that took issue with the interview.

Swift’s fans accused Reese of using Nicole’s appearance to boost views, leading to a flurry of online criticism.

Reese, never one to back down, responded to the backlash on X, posting “Hating pays too,” along with a nail polish emoji, making it clear she wasn’t bothered by the negative comments.

Her response only intensified the discussion, prompting some Swift fans to dig up an old post from Reese’s fellow WNBA rookie and rival, Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever.

Clark’s resurfaced post, from September 2023, showed her warmly welcoming Swift to the Chiefs fanbase, writing, “Taylor Swift, welcome to the good side Chiefs Kingdom.”

With the post back in the spotlight, Swifties started throwing their support behind Clark, boosting her popularity and bringing even more attention to the Fever point guard.

Fans welcomed the crossover of Swifties and Clark supporters, joking that they were now part of “Team Clark.”

Challenging rookie campaigns

Both Reese and Clark experienced eventful rookie seasons in the WNBA, though injuries and early exits marked the end of their campaigns.

Reese suffered a wrist injury that sidelined her for the Chicago Sky‘s final six games, while Clark and the Fever were knocked out of the playoffs after just two games.

Despite the setbacks, both enjoyed breakout rookie seasons, shattering records and earning All-Star nods. Looking ahead, Reese is set to participate in the inaugural season of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, which will launch in January 2025.

As for Clark, her involvement in the league is still unconfirmed, but her future in women’s basketball continues to look bright as she solidifies her growing fanbase.