*Michelle Obama recently offered her take on the heated Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese rivalry. This competition, which ignited during their college days at Iowa and LSU, has followed the two stars into the WNBA, pitting the Indiana Fever’s Clark against the Chicago Sky’s Reese.
Speaking on the “All The Smoke” podcast with former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Obama addressed the broader implications of their rivalry. The former first lady focused on the role social media plays in amplifying the scrutiny these athletes face.
“I think the tough thing is the social media element to it, but that’s true across the board,” she said. Obama noted that young athletes must navigate constant online criticism, which invades their personal space.
“The hate is in your room on your phone with you all the time, and you can’t tell these kids to turn it off, because they’re making their living that way,” Obama added, emphasizing the pressure to stay engaged online.
The podcast hosts drew parallels to the 1980s NBA rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, noting that while intense, the hate from that era didn’t follow players home. Today’s athletes face a different reality, with social media delivering relentless feedback. Obama underscored how this environment challenges young stars, who are expected to maintain a public presence while enduring harsh opinions.
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“It’s just harder now to withstand peoples’ horrible, horrible opinions,” Obama said.
Watch the conversation via the clip below.
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