Jason Whitlock has risked sparking a backlash by saying Angel Reese was the main reason last week’s WNBA Draft was a success because ‘she has made it cool to lean into the feminine, sexy side of being an athlete’.

The 21-year-old Reese was drafted by Chicago Sky after outlining her credentials as a future WNBA star during her time playing college basketball for LSU. But after LSU went out of the NCAA tournament in early April, Reese wept at a press conference, saying she has been sexualized and had death threats.

For the Draft in New York, Reese wore a silver dress from the luxury Australian designer Bronx and Banco and told the New York Times about her outfit: ‘I wanted something that was going to pop. I don’t want to just be a great basketball player.

‘I want to leave my impact. I want to be a model. I can cook. I can do hair. I can do nails. I can do it all.’

Her viewpoint from the night was celebrated by Whitlock as he discussed her heading to the WNBA on the latest episode of his ‘Fearless’ YouTube show.

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Jason Whitlock has praised Angel Reese for ‘leaning into the sexy side of being an athlete’

Reese pictured with Caitlin Clark (center) and Cameron Brink at last week’s WNBA Draft

Whitlock said of Reese: ‘Last week, the WNBA Draft was a marvelous success where the overwhelming majority of those women presented themselves as women.

‘They were as attractive as tall women could possibly be that are athletic as them.