Washington Mystics forward Shakira Austin got honest about the realities of life on social media — and why the drama between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese only made things worse.
“We’re always going to feel like we have to deal with ignorant people,” Austin, 24, exclusively told Us Weekly via her partnership with Tylenol. “Unfortunately, as women we’re just on the back end of that stick. We just keep fighting and trying to find our real communities, trying to find people who support us. In a sense, just ignoring those trolls.”
Austin added, “It’s gotten worse in the past year for sure. You know, the whole Caitlin and Angel thing. It’s getting pretty bad.”
Clark, 23, and Reese, 22, both rookies last season, are two of the biggest names in women’s basketball. Their rivalry began in college — when Clark was at Iowa and Reese was at LSU — and has continued into the professional ranks.
Stephen A. Smith knows a thing or two about stirring up debate, but when it comes to the success of Caitlin Clark, he’s not taking the bait. In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, the cohost of ESPN’s First Take, 56 — who appears in the ESPN+ docuseries Up for Debate, available to stream now […]
Many have posited that Clark, who is white, has received extensive media coverage and attention due to her race, while Reese, who is Black, has not been treated with the same mainstream fanfare.
Putting the Clark-Reese debate aside, Austin said dealing with hate on social media has been especially upsetting “in a space that’s so inclusive like the WNBA.”
“It’s getting tiring seeing the same annoying comments,” Austin admitted. “I get calls from my Dad all the time. He’s like, ‘Oh my God, I want to say something to this little troll so bad.’ I’m like, ‘Dad, no. Just ignore them.’”
Shakira Austin. Shannon Finney/Getty Images
She added, “Honestly with the growth of the game, we’re unfortunately dealing with even more of a fight with accepting us and understanding us.”
Austin’s promising WNBA season has been plagued with injuries, including hip surgery in December 2023 to replace a labrum tear and a sprained ankle that greatly limited her 2024 season.
Sophie Cunningham is entering her seventh season in the WNBA and her first as a member of the revamped Indiana Fever, the team led by young phenom Caitlin Clark. Clark’s impact on the WNBA — and basketball in general — has been well documented. But now that Indiana is in position to challenge for a […]
With a clean bill of health going into the 2025 WNBA season, Austin is optimistic about what her on-court future holds, thanks in large part to the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Athlete Recovery and Care Commitment Grant, sponsored by Tylenol.
The grant aims to “help women athletes overcome pain and recover from setbacks to their career caused by injury, ultimately helping them achieve their career goals,” as well as helping athletes with “financial hardships.”
“This was my first serious injury that I’ve ever had to deal with in my career,” Austin said of her hip surgery. “This really came at a perfect time when I was trying to get back to one-hundred percent. I’ve gotten pretty close. I’m crossing almost a year post-op. Just being able to use as many resources for not only my physical health, but mental health. This grant will allow me to tap into other fields that the WNBA might not be able to provide solely.”
Austin and the Mystics open the 2025 WNBA season on May 16 against the Atlanta Dream.
