Michael Jordan's ex-teammate Etan Thomas doesn't flinch over backlash after claiming Angel Reese was 'bashed' by Donald Trump's black male supporters

Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate, Etan Thomas, didn’t backtrack after claiming that U.S. President Donald Trump’s black male supporters are ‘bashing’ Angel Reese. On Tuesday, Thomas made a post on X suggesting that the same demographic of black men who criticize Reese also opposed former Vice President Kamala Harris:

“It’s interesting how a lot of the same demographic of Black men who go out of their way to bash Angel Reese even as she sets WNBA records are same group of Black men who were bashing Kamala Harris.”

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Thomas’ view on the matter led to him being criticized. However, he is not ready to stand down and clapped back at his haters on Instagram. He posted a message that read:

“So now Black Male Trump Supporters are mad at me because I said they’re the same ones who bash Angel Reese? Well if the shoe fits 🤷🏾‍♂️.”

Thomas has easily been one of Reese’s biggest supporters and often speaks out against the alleged racist treatment she has been subjected to. He has also previously said that Caitlin Clark’s fans have weaponized her to push their racist agendas and drag Reese down.

Etan Thomas calls out Bleacher Report for criticizing Angel Reese

Etan Thomas’ criticism isn’t limited to Black supporters of President Trump, as he also called out Bleacher Report for allegedly spreading hate against the Chicago Sky star.

Bleacher Report published an article on May 11 whose title read:

“Angel Reese disappoints WNBA Fans as Van Lith, Sky lose to Collier, Lynx in Preseason.”

Thomas took issue with the headline and posted this on X:

“Dear Bleacher Report 1. It’s a little early to return back to the demonization of Angel Reese isn’t it ? 2. We’re talking about Pre Season (Allen Iverson Voice) 3. Pre season is mostly utilized so teams can assess their cuts, it’s not about wins and losses but y’all know that.”

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Thomas makes it a point to defend Reese against what he deems unfair treatment. He is also not scared to go up against one of the most hostile fan bases on social media, Caitlin Clark's fans. Not everyone, though, agrees with his takes. But he isn't worried about courting controversy.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Akshay Saraswat