Even Dave Portnoy couldn’t help but praise this ‘brilliant’ Angel Reese move

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, a long-time critic of WNBA player Angel Reese, publicly praised her business acumen this week. Portnoy specifically highlighted Reese's decision to trademark the term "Mebounds", a phrase initially used mockingly to reference her tendency to miss layups but secure the offensive rebound herself. He commented on Reebok's announcement of her "Angel Reese 1 Mebounds" signature sneaker colorway on X, stating that despite hating Reese "in a sports sense", he found her team's move to trademark and own the term "brilliant".

This praise marked a significant shift from Portnoy's previous stance, where he had frequently criticized Reese, notably calling her "classless" after her clashes with Caitlin Clark and on other occasions. Despite his continued support for Clark, Portnoy recognized Reese's action in turning the negative term "mebounds" into a branding opportunity as a clever business strategy.

The article also notes Reese's performance in her second WNBA season with the Chicago Sky. She is averaging 14.0 points and 12.6 rebounds per game and made her second All-Star appearance this season. Reese has also doubled her assists, averaging 3.8 per game compared to 1.9 last season. Furthermore, after a tough start, her performance has improved significantly over her last 14 games, averaging 16.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 50% shooting. While Portnoy's recent comments represent high praise, the article clarifies it doesn't appear to be a total endorsement.