NCAA Taunt Backlash Prompts Accusations of Racial Double Standard

A viral moment at the NCAA women’s basketball national championship sparked controversy and accusations of a racial double standard — and even got First Lady Jill Biden involved. 

What Happened: LSU Tigers forward Angel Reese, who is black, made two hand gestures towards Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark, who is white: tapping her ring finger, in an apparent allusion to a championship ring, and waving her hand in front of her face, a gesture popularized by wrestler John Cena. The viral moment was criticized by some online for being “unsportsmanlike” or “classless,” but others noted that Clark had made the same hand-waving gesture in an earlier game — without receiving the same backlash. The difference led many to see a racial double standard, and Clark herself later said Reese did not deserve the criticism. 

Jill Biden’s Involvement: Following the backlash, Jill Biden invited both teams to visit the White House, not just LSU, the winner. Some saw this as a reaction to Reese’s gesture and accused Biden of playing into the double standard. Reese called Biden’s offer “A JOKE,” and Clark said only LSU should be invited. Reese later said Biden had offered to visit LSU’s locker room before the championship game, but they purportedly rejected her because President Joe Biden’s championship bracket predicted they would lose. 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was widespread across the spectrum. Coverage from the left tended to take the racism accusations more seriously, and coverage from the right tended to frame the incident as embarrassing for Jill Biden.