The time-warp TikTok post has 67,000 likes, a typical showing from Reeses 2.5 million followers.

Its not just the success, though, that is admirable.

Its that shes crafting her own self-mythology, her own narrative no sports media intermediary necessary.

Shes not the only one.

Less coverage means fewer narratives, so moments like the Reese-Clark hand-gesture quickly become the only storyline.

The incident garnered nuanced responses (and not a peep from Olbermann).

Male athletes get to be full people.

He was great at baseball, of course, but he was equally known for hiszero-f*cks-given personality.

He pissed inside the Red Soxs historic scoreboard, the Green Monster, during games.

He dodged the check at dinner.

He stuffed his locker with items pilfered from other players.

He had a loose relationship with schedules.

His fans were accepting of his hijinks, even when they hindered the team.

The press adopted the phrase Manny Being Manny to explain them away.

Dont be too loud, too aggressive, too assertive, too ambitious, toomuch.

Add a racialized element and it gets uglier.

Manny was certainly, at times, told he was a lot.

Reeses response to the hand-gesture hullabaloo was unapologetic.

Whats more, she didnt seem to lose much sleep over it.

I dont fit the narrative of what people think youre supposed to act like, she told ESPN.

I am who I am.

On her website, you could buy merch sporting her nickname Bayou Barbie or her catchphrase unapologetically me.

Johnsons feed is similar, but with an added silliness and a healthy dose of freestyles.

But wherever she is, she truly seems to be having a good time.

Her rhymes are all braggadocio, though well-deserved.

Everything I do keep going viral, she raps.

They dont have to be one of the guys or choose between being role modelsandbeing incredibly sure of themselves.

In fact,female athletes may be the biggest winnersfrom these changes.

Just a few years into the game, Reese has more TikTok followers than Serena Williams.

She gets ownership over her own public persona, and millions respond emphatically.

Flaujae being Flaujae, people.

Then, of course, theres the sexuality of it all.

(The headline: New Endorsements for College Athletes Resurface an Old Concern: Sex Sells.)

Being young & sexy is so fun!

Reese tells us on Instagram.

Its their story to tell, however they want to tell it.

This article was originally published onSep.