Rapper Joe Budden speaks out against Angel Reese amid off-court controversy and Caitlin Clark comparisons

Hip-hop artist and media mogul Joe Budden sent WNBA rookie Angel Reese a stern message about her image.

After a rookie season where Reese even held the WNBA’s single-season rebounding record, but fell short of it after season-ending surgery, Reese has leaned into creating a mark outside of the track

The 22-year-old women’s basketball star launched her own podcast, “Unapologetically Angel,” even before her rookie season ended, and has continued to post episodes every week even after her senior season ended. WNBA ended early due to a wrist injury in early September.

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Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark look on during the second half against the Chicago Sky on June 23, 2024 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The podcast has caused controversy several times, including in the first episode when he spoke out against fans of rival player Caitlin Clark, claiming they had sent him death threats and made explicit AI images of her and sent to his family. In his most recent episode, Reese interviewed the ex-girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce about their past relationship. That interview sparked a flurry of criticism, especially from fans of Kelce’s new girlfriend, Taylor Swift.

Now Budden has advised Reese to take back some of the non-basketball publicity he’s been pursuing in recent months, during an episode of his podcast, “The Joe Budden Podcast,” via Sports Illustrated. Budden was referencing a recent onstage appearance by Reese during Nick Cannon’s “Wild ‘N Out” tour in Chicago.

“I’ve seen Angel Reese run wild, I don’t know if I’ve seen him on ‘Wild N’ Out,'” Budden said. “Angel Reese won’t sit on… He won’t sit for a second. There’s value.

“This is going to sound like I’m telling women what to do, but I’m not.”

INSIDE CAITLIN CLARK AND ANGEL REESE’S IMPACT ON MEN’S BASKETBALL

September 22, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; WNBA basketball player Angel Reese attends the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium. (Images by Gary A. Vasquez-Image)

Budden also made a point to compare Reese’s off-court habits to Clark’s. However, he also clarified that the comparison was not rooted in race.

“Whoever has (Reese) is telling her to show up everywhere. That’s not what Caitlin Clark’s people are saying, not to make it racial … Now we’re just on a star rookie,” he said.

Clark ended up winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year over Reese, winning all but one vote for the award. The only vote that went against Clark was for Reese. However, it’s a vote that has drawn a strong reaction from the women’s basketball community, as Clark outscored the Sky rookie in every statistical category except rebounding.

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August 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) looks to pass the ball against the Vegas Aces during the first half at Wintrust Arena. (Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)

Unlike Reese, Clark does not have a podcast and has refrained from making controversial comments during and after his rookie season.

The extent of Clark’s off-court publicity so far has been attending other sporting events, often with boyfriend Connor McCaffery. Clark and McCaffery were spotted sitting courtside at the Indiana Pacers preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. In August, the two attended a New York Yankees game and she posed for pictures with stars Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.

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