Emmanuel Acho, Angel Reese
Update: Emmanuel Acho Thanks Those Who Have ‘Respectfully Reprimanded’ Him After His Controversial Remarks About Angel Reese
Update (April 4, 2024): Emmanuel Acho is reacting to the backlash he received after criticizing college basketball star Angel Reese.
He hopped on X (formerly Twitter) to say “a quick thank you to everyone who has respectfully reprimanded me and offered brilliant opinions on the Angel Reese conversation.”
He thanked people like actress Essence Atkins, former NFL player Ryan Clark, Netflix’s former chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John for “publicly and privately giving me good wisdom, good feedback, good discernment.”
He added,
“I understand. I understand. I think life is all about understanding. And so I just want to applaud those publicly, you watching, and those who have privately who have respectfully, the operative word being respectfully, who have respectfully reprimanded me.”
He also saluted former NBA player Matt Barnes for his “incredibly wise words.”
He continued,
“I thank you all for that. I do not stand on a hill saying that I am right and you are wrong. I simply stand on a place saying ‘Hey, this is what I believe. What do you believe? Let’s listen to one another and construct a collective belief.”
Regarding the Angel Reese dialogue: thank you. pic.twitter.com/SUtjE87iaP
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) April 4, 2024
Original Story (April 3, 2024): Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho is facing major backlash online.
The former NFL player has been trending recently as social media users react to his critical opinion of Angel Reese’s tearful post-game interview.
In case you’re unfamiliar, Angele Reese and the Louisiana State women’s basketball team recently ended their season after a loss to her on-the-court rival Caitlin Clark, in a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s championship game. During subsequent interviews, Reese became tearful while reflecting on the death threats and unwarranted hate she’s been receiving since her new life in the spotlight.
Reacting to the interview, Emmanuel Acho blasted Angel Reese, arguing that she shouldn’t be searching for sympathy as she’s already positioned herself as the “bad guy” of women’s basketball. On a recent TV appearance, the former athlete stated:
“I’m about to give a gender neutral, racially indifferent take…Angel Reese, you can’t be the big bad wolf then kind of cry like courage the cowardly dog.”
Black women have historically been the most marginalized group in America, but I’m going to give a gender neutral and racially indifferent take on Angel Reese:
“In sports, you can’t act like the big bad wolf, then cry like courage the cowardly dog.” pic.twitter.com/aUtxZ7JHk4
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) April 2, 2024
He continued:
“If you want to act grown, which she has, if you want to get paid like you grown, which you are, if you want to talk to grown folks like you grown, which you did – post game when you told a coach from an opposing team ‘watch your mouth,’…then post game win you take an L…nobody mourns when the villain catches an L.”
Acho went on explain that Reese previously “proclaimed” herself as a villain, stating that she doesn’t mind being viewed that way in the eyes of the public. The best-selling author then praised the stance, explaining that in sports, that terminology puts her in the company of other perceived sports “villains” who are also reigning champions, such as Golden State star Draymond Green.
Draymond Green
However, Acho reiterated that accepting that position comes with a “target painted on your back,” adding that Reese shouldn’t expect sympathy from anyone. His comments sparked widespread criticism online. Social media users argued that Acho’s take simply caters to a white audience and gives them leeway to make racially charged attacks, which is never okay. Some even pointed out that dismissing racism in favor of saying something controversial seems to be a recurring tactic Acho uses to garner attention.
In response, Acho shared a few more thoughts on the matter, making clear that his opinion of Reese was given much thought. He wrote in one post:
“Dear level headed friends, Please know, I always speak out on racial & gender bias. One of the few on TV to speak on it. I have also consistently publicly supported Angel through it. However, I don’t blindly support anyone. I assess every situation individually and then speak.”
And followed up with:
“Also, just because you disagree with one individuals actions, one time, does not mean you hate them. The job is to be an analyst, not a fan. Which means your opinions must shift as actions shift. For those in doubt, here’s proof.”
Meanwhile, Reese is certainly on a high after declaring her intentions to enter the WNBA draft next season. As we recently covered, the 21-year-old made the announcement earlier today (April 3rd) with a docu-style video and a stunning Vogue feature.
What are you thoughts on Emmanuel Acho’s take on Angel Reese? Tell us in the comments below!