Young female basketball players like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, and others have never been more prominent in the spotlight. They’re revolutionizing women’s basketball and reshaping the discourse surrounding it for the better. However, along with this increased visibility comes some distressing drawbacks.
Recently, Caitlin and Paige found themselves at the center of a troubling incident when unauthorized, AI-altered photos of them surfaced online on April 21, 2024. These images, which were not appropriate and sexualized the young athletes without their consent, sparked outrage on social media.
The photos were originally shared on Paige’s subreddit, leading to the suspension of the subreddit by Reddit for violating the platform’s policies against non-consensual intimate content.
In response to the incident, Paige posted a cryptic tweet believed to be addressing the situation directly. In her tweet, she emphasized her resilience and the overwhelming support she received from the women’s basketball community.
“The devil works hard but God and the people around me work WAY harder. The outpouring of love and support from the WBB community is unreal. Love y’all. Support women in sport ALWAYS,” she expressed on Twitter.
Both Paige and Caitlin are prominent figures in women’s basketball, with Caitlin poised to enter the WNBA and Paige continuing her collegiate career at UConn. Despite the leaked images, most discussions focused on the violation of their privacy and the need to protect young women in sports.
Angel Reese, another college basketball standout, took to Twitter to advocate for the protection of female athletes. Other voices in the sports community, like HBCU Go sideline reporter Courtney Tate, echoed similar sentiments, condemning the invasion of privacy and expressing gratitude for those who flooded social media with the athletes’ highlights in support.
Although the incident was distressing, Paige appears to be undeterred, buoyed by the immense support she received. While Caitlin has yet to address the photos publicly, it’s hoped that she, too, feels bolstered by the solidarity and support shown by fans and fellow athletes during this challenging time.