WNBA player Angel Reese has drawn significant attention on social media following remarks she made about her childhood experiences with dolls. The controversy arose after Mattel released a Barbie doll in Reese's likeness, wearing her Atlanta Dream uniform and No. 5 jersey, along with a matching signature shoe.
During a discussion about the doll collaboration, Reese stated, "Honestly, I didn't have a lot of dolls because I didn't have dolls that really looked like me much." She emphasized the importance of the doll being "super intentional" to represent individuals with features like her own, who can also excel in sports.
However, social media users quickly responded by referencing the history of Mattel's doll releases. They pointed out that Mattel introduced a Black character named 'Christie' in 1968 and released the first doll officially named 'Black Barbie' in 1980, predating Reese's birth. Further historical context provided by users included the sale of officially licensed African-American NBA Barbie dolls in 1998.
The situation was compounded when fans noted a recent social media post by Reese herself, made less than a week prior to her doll comment. In that post, she shared an interview with Cosmopolitan and wrote, "Thank you @cosmopolitan for allowing me to express this full circle moment! From playing with Barbie dolls as a little girl to having my own-wearing my signature Reebok shoes."
This online debate follows recent scrutiny of Reese's performance, including a moment during the WNBA All-Star game where she missed a lay-up attempt, which was subsequently blocked by A'ja Wilson. Wilson later commented that she had attempted to move out of the way but still managed to block the shot, an event that appeared to amuse Wilson on the court.