Former collaborator of basketball legend Michael Jordan, Etan Thomas, isn’t retreating even after making statements that Trump’s black male followers are being unjust towards Angel Reese. He hinted at the paradox that these individuals, who heap criticism on Reese even as she breaks WNBA records, have a surprising similarity, as they also laid unwarranted critique on ex-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Thomas sparked a contentious debate with his assertion: ‘Intriguingly, a significant number of black men who go out of their way to disparage Angel Reese are notably the same group who were discrediting Kamala Harris.’ His comments ignited a backlash from some circles.
However, despite the wave of condemnation, he expressed a firm stance and countered his detractors. His response was clearly outlined in a post that read: ‘Black male Trump patrons are displeased with my comments as I pointed out their consistent pattern of lambasting Angel Reese. If they identify with the accusation, then they must own it.’
Thomas remains staunch in his advocacy and frequent vocalization against the perceived colored bias applied to Reese. He’s also countered claims that fans of Caitlin Clark were leveraging her to advance discriminatory narratives and diminish the achievements of Reese.
His denunciations aren’t restricted to black Trump advocates. He simultaneously berates Bleacher Report, blaming them for purportedly propagating negativity around the Chicago Sky phenomenon, Angel Reese, without much debate.
The Bleacher Report became the subject of his criticism following an article published on May 11, with a rather inflammatory headline that read: ‘Angel Reese disillusion WNBA followers as Van Lith and Sky succumb to Collier and Lynx in Preseason matches.’
Despite the context of the games being pre-season, Thomas criticized the narrative created by the headline and responded with: ‘To the Bleacher Report, isn’t it a bit rash to be back to castigating Angel Reese? We’re discussing pre-season games, where teams commonly use this time to evaluate their rosters, not essentially to chalk up triumphs and setbacks. Surely, you’re aware of this.’
Holding his ground, Thomas consistently advocates for Reese against judgments he views as inequitable. He plucks up the courage to combat one of the most combative devotee groups on social platforms, Caitlin Clark’s followers, without reservations.
However, Thomas’ viewpoints are not universally embraced. He’s well aware that some of his opinions may cause a stir. Embarking on the path of controversial discourse isn’t new territory for him, and he’s unafraid to challenge the status quo, especially when it comes to defending Reese from what he perceives as biased judgment.
Thomas’ alignment with Reese and his staunch defense of her continued to raise eyebrows, particularly with the increasing frequency with which he began to call out disparate groups for their perceived discriminatory behavior. Notably, his insistence on drawing parallels between those who criticize Reese and those who have taken issue with ex-Vice President Kamala Harris has become a focal point of conversation.
While facing some criticism from his detractors, Thomas is seemingly unfazed, maintaining his position and offering counterarguments to any dissenting voices. His outspoken attitude and commitment to push back against instances of perceived prejudice make him a polarizing figure, to say the least.
His specific mention of Black male supporters of Donald Trump raised some eyebrows, and from many quarters, quite a lot of ire too. However, rather than serve as a deterrent, the backlash seemed peg him on. His rebuttal was designed to ruffle further feathers, with its direct challenge: ‘If the cap fits, wear it.’