Stephen A's Take: Stephen A. discusses the brands of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark with Reporter Tori Cooper.

Summary

Summary of "The Stephen A. Smith Show" Episode: "Stephen A's Take: Stephen A. discusses the brands of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark with Reporter Tori Cooper"

Release Date: January 7, 2025

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Introduction and Topic Overview

In this engaging episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, hosted by Stephen A. Smith in collaboration with iHeartPodcasts, Stephen engages in a spirited discussion with reporter Tori Cooper. The focal point of their conversation revolves around the branding strategies and public perceptions of two prominent female athletes: Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. The episode delves into the complexities of athlete branding, the impact of social media, and the societal pressures faced by female athletes in the spotlight.

Stephen A. Smith's Perspective on Angel Reese

Stephen A. Smith begins the conversation by expressing his admiration for Angel Reese, highlighting her contributions to the WNBA and her participation in the upcoming Unrivaled Basketball League. He emphasizes Reese's decision to stay within the United States to supplement her income, contrasting it with Brittney Griner's experience overseas:

"Angel Reese is fantastic for the WNBA... she’s made it very clear she doesn't want to have to go overseas to play" (02:18).

Smith underscores the financial disparities between the WNBA and NBA, advocating for Reese's choice to remain local as a strategic move to enhance her earnings without the uncertainties of international play.

Tori Cooper's Counterpoints and Perspectives

Tori Cooper counters Smith's points by offering a more nuanced view of Angel Reese's branding challenges. She acknowledges Reese's talents but points out the public scrutiny Reese faces, especially in comparison to Caitlin Clark:

"She's going to be reminded she's not Caitlin Clark with every good thing that Caitlin Clark does" (09:30).

Cooper argues that Reese's actions, such as her demeanor during high-stakes games, have affected her popularity and brand perception. She highlights Caitlin Clark's effective brand management and marketability, suggesting that Reese's approach may inadvertently hinder her own branding efforts.

Discussion on Social Media and Branding

The conversation delves deeper into the role of social media in shaping athlete brands. Smith criticizes Reese for actions that garner backlash on public platforms, implying that such exposure can be detrimental:

"If it's something that you can't take, maybe you shouldn't expose yourself to the backlash" (02:30).

Cooper empathizes with Reese's situation, emphasizing the pressures faced by young athletes in the digital age. She advocates for grace and understanding, noting that Reese is still young and navigating her newfound fame:

"She's 22 years old... we have to give her grace" (06:30).

Personal Anecdotes and Experiences

Both hosts share personal experiences to illustrate their points. Cooper recounts her own challenges with social media, including an incident where a provocative photo led to professional repercussions:

"I posted this picture in 2019... I was told I had to take it down because it was suggestive, risque, and inappropriate" (13:31).

Smith responds by discussing the broader implications of such incidents, particularly for women and minorities in the public eye. He emphasizes the importance of advisors and vigilant brand management:

"There are rules for women. There are rules for black people... you have to be mindful of it all moving forward in this industry" (15:58).

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode concludes, both Smith and Cooper reiterate the importance of strategic branding and the need for athletes to navigate social media thoughtfully. Smith emphasizes the inevitability of public scrutiny for high-profile athletes, while Cooper highlights the necessity of having a strong support system:

"You need to have advisors around you, paid advisors, as well as people who knew you before your family" (16:37).

They both agree that while public perception plays a significant role in an athlete's career, maintaining authenticity and seeking guidance are crucial for long-term success.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Stephen A. Smith (02:18):

  "Angel Reese is fantastic for the WNBA... she’s made it very clear she doesn't want to have to go overseas to play."

• Tori Cooper (09:30):

  "She's going to be reminded she's not Caitlin Clark with every good thing that Caitlin Clark does."

• Stephen A. Smith (02:30):

  "If it's something that you can't take, maybe you shouldn't expose yourself to the backlash."

• Tori Cooper (06:30):

  "She's 22 years old... we have to give her grace."

• Tori Cooper (13:31):

  "I posted this picture in 2019... I was told I had to take it down because it was suggestive, risque, and inappropriate."

• Stephen A. Smith (15:58):

  "There are rules for women. There are rules for black people... you have to be mindful of it all moving forward in this industry."

• Tori Cooper (16:37):

  "You need to have advisors around you, paid advisors, as well as people who knew you before your family."

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Closing Remarks

This episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show offers a compelling exploration of the challenges female athletes face in branding and public perception. Through candid discussions and personal insights, Stephen A. Smith and Tori Cooper shed light on the intricate balance between personal expression and strategic brand management in the high-stakes world of professional sports.

Note: Timestamps correspond to the transcript provided and are approximate.

Transcript

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

What's up, everyone?

[Tori Cooper]

Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson. We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Tori Cooper]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Stephen A. Smith]

Exactly.

[Tori Cooper]

And you'll never know who will drop by to join us. Julia's pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and.

[Tori Cooper]

Jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Tori Cooper, the one and only Tori Cooper is here with me right now. Listen, I usually don't do this, but because it's you, my buddy, you have some stuff on your mind involving Angel Reese and what have you. So usually I'm the one that introduces the subject, but I'm going to turn around and give the floor to you since you hanging out in my studio and all. I'm going to get the floor to you to take it away. What's up? What's on your mind?

[Angel Reese]

Well, Angel Reese, she's scheduled to play in the new three on three league that's coming up. The unrivaled basketball season is starting this month, but she came under some scrutiny around New Year's Eve because she shared a post on her Instagram. You know, she's had a stellar season. This is the video that is actually still on her TikTok. And she got some pretty serious pushback after sharing this. And people, people were pretty unhappy with the way that she shared this on a public platform. So I wanted to get your thoughts on this because as a woman in the industry who has come under her own scrutiny myself, I have. I wanted to hear where you fell on this issue because she deleted her Instagram. And that's the most important part about all of this, because clearly she's uncomfortable with some of the backlash that she's getting because she deleted Her Instagram.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, here's the part that I like about the backlash. Clearly it's something that a lot of people can't take. So if it's something that you can't take, maybe you shouldn't expose yourself to the backlash in provoking the backlash. You know, I'm glad you're here for this conversation. I'm glad you brought it up because here's the reason why I love Angel Reese. I think that Angel Reese is great. I think she's fantastic for the wnba. I love the fact that she's participating in this unrivaled league because she's made it very clear she doesn't want to have to go overseas to play. We all know what happened with Brittney Griner when she went to Russia. We all felt like it was politicized and she was railroaded. We always saw it. We all saw that she suffered months of her life. Okay? We don't wish that upon anybody. And we lamented the fact that she had to go overseas. Not Angel Reese, but Brittney Griner. She had to go overseas because like a lot of them have had to over the years. You gotta supplement your income because the income that you're making at the WNBA isn't nearly enough. I think when you talk about the average salary, it was like approximately 124,000, if I remember correctly. Well, guess what? The average salary in the NBA is over 10 million. And so when you look at it from that standpoint, to supplement your income by playing 3 on 3 basketball in the United States, in Miami specifically, for a few months, where they're talking about doubling the salary that you were going to make as a WNBA player. I'm all for that. But here's what I have a problem with. Tory Angel Reese in doing the things that she has done. Let's face reality. She's going to be attached to Caitlin Clark to some degree. If Kate, if Angel Reese had never waved her hand in her face when LSU was beaten Iowa, for, for, for, you know, in the Final Four, the national championship. If that hadn't happened, Angel Reese's name might not be as big. Yes, she's a talent. Yes, she would have made the wnba. But in terms of her popularity, it really soared after she took down Caitlyn Clark. And then Caitlyn Clark came back last year and got revenge by knocking LSU out in the Elite eight. If I remember correctly, Caitlyn Clark. The reason I bring up Caitlyn Clark is because they're attached at the hip with one another, which Means they're ultimately going to be comparatory. And when you look at Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark is balling. She's a rookie of the year. She was one of the finalists for the league MVP honors as a rookie, breaking all types of records. She should have been on Team usa. She didn't choose to play in an unrivaled league. Her brand building has been incredibly impressive. Now we could get into the white black dynamic because inevitably, that's inescapable in terms of you being white. And as a result, it's contributing to your marketability more so than an angel Reese. We could debate that, but what's not. What's not debatable is the fact that Caitlin Clark has handled her branding extremely well. Whereas with Andrew Reese, sometimes you find yourself scratching your head and wondering what the hell she's doing. Like that photo right there. Listen, I see the way you walk in the game. Just listen. She's a beautiful young lady, and there's a lot of beautiful young ladies in the wnba. But when you do that, you can't come down the line and complain about being objectified later on. It's not going to work with people. Whether it's right or wrong, that's. It's not going to work. And when you do stuff like that and you're drawing attention to yourself because of that, that can be problematic for you, especially when the comparison is going to be drawn to Caitlin Clark, who isn't doing such things. That might not be fair. I'm not saying it is. And you certainly have the right to dress how you want and to do what you want and to live your life. But people have a right to have their opinions about what you put on display. And if they don't like it and they believe that it's not. It's not. It's not the right thing for you to be doing. When you talk about building your brand. I don't know how you can argue that, Tory. That's my struggle.

[Angel Reese]

Well, we have to remember one thing. She's not Caitlin Clark. And we can't ask her to be anyone else besides herself, especially not right here. We're not gonna do that. We want you to be you. We love seeing the great parts of your journey. But we also have to remember she's 22 years old. And I have no problem sharing my age. I'm about to be 32 this year. So, you know, you have to remember that we all had this time. And we've all made foolish decisions. We've made decisions that maybe we're not proud of, you know, and you have to remember that we're dealing with someone who's 20 and is now looking at a million dollar paycheck potentially. I mean, she's making a lot of money very fast and she was just thrust into a spotlight. And you know, Stephen, when you were 22, if Stephen A. Was given millions of dollars, could have fancy cars, you know, I'm sure that you probably had some decisions that you made that you weren't excited about and that you're glad that maybe the entire world didn't have to learn about, you know. So the difference here is that she's having. We're having to watch her all. We're having to watch her Lear in front of everybody. And so I want to give her grace in that way, but I also want to encourage her to bring her Instagram platform back because that is her brand and she built that for the last X number of years and now she can use it as a platform to market herself. But you have to be cognizant that no matter how you step out of your house, you are now Angel Reese and you will always be picked apart. Unfortunately, it comes with the crown. You're a queen. You're beautiful, you know, so you just have to remember that.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I gotta say this to you, Tori.

[Angel Reese]

If you're not ready for the heat, then, you know, you just gotta be mindful that what's. What comes with it. You have to be mindful with what comes in.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I gotta say to you, Tori, I gotta push back on you a little bit, okay? I think you're being a little bit too PC. Let's call it what it is. I am not trying to say that she should be criticized or she is wrong. What I'm saying is by pulling it down, clearly you felt there was something wrong with it. Now, yes, you are 22, yes, you are young. And there's a lot of things that we didn't want people to know about when we were her age. Fair enough. Enough. Especially me, okay? Because I'm 30 years, 30 plus years removed from that age. I got that part. There was no social media then or whatever. But here's my point to you. She knows this social. She is not dumb. She's quite a brilliant young lady. She's very smart, very accomplished. And on top of it all, she is in this age where she does know social media exists and she has exploited it to her advantage. And so when you take that into consideration, that means you're mindful of the imagery and the Perception that you're assisting in creating about yourself. And you have to. And I'm saying to you, it might have been a right or wrong decision, depending on what she feels or what other people feel. I'm just saying that what's inescapable is that it's going. Even though she's not Caitlin Clark, she's going to be reminded she's not Caitlin Clark with every good thing that Caitlin Clark does, because that was her number one nemesis in a lot of people's eyes. Number one. Number two, she was seen during various interviews and what have you talking about threats, talking about insults, crying about how people were coming at her with such venom and hostility, particularly in her last year at LSU before she ultimately graduated to the pros. She brought up all of these things, which means she was. She was aware of it. And if you're aware of it, you have to understand that that's going to be part of the judgment that comes against you. Fear or unfair. That's what I'm saying. Tori.

[Angel Reese]

The youth is dealing with this issue. Many of them believe that the more I share about myself, the more liked I'm going to be. People are going to know me off the basketball court. We want to know you off the basketball court, Steven. I agree with a lot of the stuff you're talking about, but I just wanted to make sure we're still showing her grace and where she's at in her life and understanding that, look, she is 22 years old still. I'm not saying. But that doesn't get to the other point that another take that I have on this where the youth needs to understand that it's not all about sharing everything. It's about actually keeping a lot of this stuff intimate and private. Personally, I wouldn't wear that because that's not the way I want to be represented, okay?

[Stephen A. Smith]

And personally, Personally, to put myself on front street, I wouldn't want my daughter. Listen, my daughter's gonna be in college in a few years. Troy. Let me tell you something, right? This is just Daddy. This is just Daddy talking. Okay?

[Angel Reese]

Yeah, I got it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

My daughters are fully aware. Daddy had better damn well not see an outfit like that on social media. Now, I ain't judging. Angel. Reese, live your life. I'm talking about my daughters.

[Angel Reese]

Right?

[Stephen A. Smith]

I promise you. I promise you. I better not see that. They could be in college, in la, in Boston or anywhere in between. Daddy would drop the mic, hop in the car, on the plane or wherever I'll be. That ain't gonna happen. You said I'm not having it. That's me. So, again, without judging somebody else, we understand that everybody's got their own taste, their own flavor, and certainly their own rights. But there are other people that's gonna exercise their rights to be ultra critical about it. And then I'm not even talking about the outfit that Angel Reese has won. I'm talking about the overall pressure of having to be compared as a brand to somebody who's conducting their branding with near perfection. That's what I'm saying. She's gonna have to deal with that, Tori, whether she likes it or not, she's.

[Angel Reese]

Opening yourself up to every opportunity is what I want for Angel Reese. I don't want Adidas. I don't want Nike turning her down because they don't see her as someone that's marketable, because neither do I. You know? And that's the pain that I had for her in this. But I want her to know if she's listening. We're excited to still see you bring back that beautiful Instagram page and just learn from it. And I think this is a perfect segue, because I also want to talk about the pressures that you face in this realm of social media at this age, and I am not immune to it. I have had my own issues with this, Steven, in the industry being thrust into the spotlight. Yes. And I thought I showed you the picture. I texted it to you, and I think it's a good segue. Here it is. This is the picture. I posted this picture in 2019. This is when I had my first anchor job. I was excited about the fame. I was like, wow. I want to show people the less serious side of me, show them I could be relatable. Maybe a brand will want to do a, you know, collab with me, maybe get some brand partnerships. The news quickly shut this down, and they said, I got called into HR for this photo, and I was told I had to take it down because it was suggestive, risque, and inappropriate. Now, alone. I never thought that posting a photo like that would be suggestive, risque, and inappropriate.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Really? No, I'm not saying it wasn't inappropriate. No, it wasn't inappropriate. It wasn't. I'm not trying to imply it wasn't inappropriate or anything like that, but when you post a photo like that, you do understand that men are gonna look at that and be like, hey, that looks very nice. You get that part, don't you?

[Angel Reese]

That comes with stepping outside in a beanie and a hat. Like, no matter what, I'm Gonna be subjected to the beauty that I have, period. So that part I can't get away from. But what I was after in that moment, I can honestly tell you, was not the certification from, you know, men. I was actually in this moment. I was like, I would love to get a brand deal. That'd be so cool. You know, that's where I was at. And that's the world you live in on social media at that age. I mean, I was probably 22 actually at that time, and that's what I was after. And, you know, I'm not speaking for Angel Reese. I'm not saying that's what she was after. But I want to tell you where I was at emotionally. I was excited about my fame. I was excited to be able to expand into different realms potentially. But again, look at that dress. You know, that arguably, to me, there's nothing inappropriate. There's nothing in the appropriate. I don't think that was doing anything inappropriate, but apparently HR did, so.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yeah, but. Hr. But. I'm saying. But, but. But. Let me. Let me. Let me share this with you. Let me. Let me share a little story with you. First of all, let me say this to you. I've given advice to women in this industry more times than I can count. I have never given advice without ask. Without being asked for it first. I don't volunteer it. But if you ask me, I'm going to give you advice. And I have told countless women over the years in this industry, the bosses are always watching, whether directly or indirectly. There's always eyes on you, okay? And so you could be in a nice dress. You could be on a red carpet. You could be on the beach, on vacation or whatever. What you post is what they're paying attention to because they're trying to measure what your intentions are based off of what they see. The other thing that's important to point out, Tori, is this, having said all of that, sometimes they're wrong. A lot of times they might be wrong. But you know what the golden rule is?

[Angel Reese]

Err on the side of those who have the gold.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Those who have the gold make the rules. And so it fluctuates. It shouldn't, but it does. And there's rules. They don't want to. We don't want to act like it. There's rules for women. There's rules for black people. There's rules for other folks. Some folks don't have rules compared to what others have. And we continuously point to the level of unfairness that exists, but we ultimately always end up concluding it's inevitable. And so you have to be mindful of it all moving forward in this industry. That's what I had to say about that.

[Angel Reese]

Younger kids right now are also not able to see 40 years from now. You know, you post that photo, you're not thinking, what's this gonna do to me 40 years from now? You know, think about that. You know, when you post this, what's gonna happen to my sponsorship? And my last thing is, if you're a young member of society today and you have social media and you are big time, just remember that you need to have advisors around you, paid advisors, as well as people who knew you before your family.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That's great advice, because that's great advice.

[Angel Reese]

Beyonce, she had her mom on tour and her cousin right out the gate. I want to pay. She wanted eyes around her who were paying attention to the world she was going to be living in. And the people right now who are going through this, who are facing these moments, who are thrust into the spotlight. Take a look at your advisors around you. Do they have your best interest? And if you do get pushback in this way, ask yourself, the people, who were the people around me during that time and what do they say about this? And keep that in mind, because your reputation, at the end of the day, you have the power over that.

[Tori Cooper]

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[Stephen A. Smith]

Ew.

[Tori Cooper]

Geico's motorcycle specialists who know bikes like you do assume no liability for clammy ice cream cones. Geico expertise for your motorcycle.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.