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The WNBA season recently restarted, and former Michigan State women’s basketball standout Aerial Powers and her Washington Mystics have been on an absolute tear. On Tuesday, Powers had a big-time game against the Connecticut Sun, which had many in the basketball world buzzing. The Miami Heat’s Andre Iguodala chimed in, saying that “Number 23 from the mystics is nice!!!” Powers immediately took issue (rightfully) with Iguodala’s tweet and told him to “put some respect on my name.”
Here is the initial interaction, which came after Powers dropped 27 points to lead the Mystics to a 2-0 record:
Put some respect on my name or keep this tweet to yourself!! https://t.co/xFtU8f7KWp
— Aerial Powers (@aerial_powers23) July 29, 2020
Iguodala tweeted on Wednesday morning: “…no manners.” A tweet that was seemingly directed at Powers.
Powers had a follow-up tweet on Wednesday further explaining her position. She also brought up a headline from a TMZ article that featured offensive comments made by Iguodala about the WNBA from back in 2016:
We deal with disrespect on the daily so for someone like you @andre to tweet that off the same device u could have looked me up on is unacceptable. Mind you commentator said my name. Would it have been the same if I was a guy?Look at the pic. I didn’t forget . I SAID WHAT I SAID! https://t.co/hl0qYJNjI4 pic.twitter.com/2kPTbJPScP
— Aerial Powers (@aerial_powers23) July 29, 2020
I won’t spend much time litigating this situation (I agree with Powers and think she, and other female athletes, deserve much more respect), instead, I’ll show why Powers is commanding so much respect in the basketball world right now:
.@aerial_powers23 (27 PTS & 4 3PM) went off to secure the @WashMystics second-straight victory! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ExI9CS6nJx
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 29, 2020
I would hope that Spartan Nation can support Powers both in this situation and during the WNBA season this summer as her Washington Mystics look to defend their WNBA championship.
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