Atlanta Dream forward, along with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, has had an enormous impact on the WNBA since joining the league in 2024. The young stars’ arrival has coincided with record numbers for the league’s attendance and television viewership.

The explosion has led to rapid expansion, as the league is set to have 18 teams by 2030, up from 12 when the pair joined the league in 2024, and also a transformative new collective bargaining agreement that has players signing the first multi-million dollar contracts in league history.

Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama previously spoke about the downside of the popularity that Clark and Reese have dealt with.

“I think the tough thing is the social media element to it. But that’s true across the board. I mean, we’ve talked about this on our show; it just takes a normal occurrence. These young kids today, what they have to go through, what they have to be able to withstand, because social media is such a huge part of the world,” Obama said, via Awful Announcing.

“There’s the hate. But now the hate is in your room, on your phone, with you all the time. And you can’t, for whatever reason, tell these kids to turn it off, because they’re making their living that way. I mean, now they are expected to stay engaged.

“So, I think that makes it feel even worse. But I think, as you point out, that’s happening in sports across gender. It’s just harder not to withstand other people’s horrible, horrible opinions.”

Now, Obama is praising Reese, who was recently traded from the Chicago Sky, and how she has handled herself in light of everything.

“You are handling yourself beautifully. I mean, it’s not just what you do, but the way you carry yourself, girl. I mean, it is really a joy to watch you manage it all, and you do it with a smile on your face with an excellent attitude,” she told Reese on her podcast “IMO,” co-hosted by her brother Craig Robinson. “You are a special, special person.”

“I don’t think anybody will ever understand [what I’ve been through],” Reese said. “I appreciate you guys for making this a safe space for me because, as you said, the media has not always been great for me.”

She continued: “[Like] I’ll take a fine. I’ll catch a fine, especially in the WNBA. I’ll take a fine before I have to go to media and feel like my back is against the wall. So I really appreciate you guys for allowing me to come on here and this feel like a safe space. And one of the safest spaces that it’s been in a very, very long time for me.”

Warning Issued

Obama also warned Reese’s critics away from bothering her.

“Don’t mess with this girl. Don’t miss with her spirit. Do not mess with this angel. Stop it. Just stop it.”