The growing appeal and influence of the WNBA on the world can no longer be dismissed after Jayson Tatum drew inspiration from Angel Reese following the Boston Celtics‘ NBA title-winning victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The Celtics dominated the series to win 4-1, with a 106-88 scoreline in Game 5 proving to be enough to secure the franchise’s 18th championship. With their latest triumph, they have surpassed the Los Angeles Lakers with the most titles in NBA history.
Jayson Tatum celebrates a historic performace
Tatum was one of the star players in the series and especially in the curtain closer, finishing with 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. He was one of the candidates for the MVP award, but lost out to his team-mate Jaylen Brown.
While there were many fans aggrieved on his behalf, the 26-year-old was only focused on winning the championship. But he did have a pointed message for their critics in his post-game interview.
Speaking on the ESPN broadcast after the game, Tatum said: “What are they gonna say now? What they gone say now… what they gone say now?”
Angel Reese trends on social media
Fans immediately drew parallels with how Chicago Sky rookie Reese had said exactly the same thing after winning the national championship at LSU in 2023.
In the viral video clip, Reese held her phone in her hand and clutched her new era baseball cap. Staring straight at the camera, she repeatedly shouted: “What they gone say now? What they gone say now?”
Tatum was somewhat more tranquil than Reese in his interview, but it was a clear reference to the WNBA star’s viral remark, as fans pointed out on X.
One user wrote: “Not Jayson Tatum pulling an Angel Reese”, while another said: “Jayson Tatum ruining Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Angel Reese’s reputation all in one night.”
It goes to show just how influential the 22-year-old star is, even to the NBA’s biggest stars, and that will only increase over time as the WNBA’s reputation continues to skyrocket with Reese, Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink.
