More WNBA drama.
Caitlin Clark downplayed any personal animosity between herself and Angel Reese following a contentious moment in their recent WNBA game, in which Reese was penalized with a flagrant 1 foul for a hard contact on Clark during the Indiana Fever’s 91-83 victory over the Chicago Sky on Sunday.
In comments to ESPN’s Stephen Holder, Clark brushed off the incident as a routine part of the sport. “Just a part of basketball,” she explained. “It is what it is. Trying to make a play on the ball, get the block. It happens.” Her remarks underscored a professional acceptance of the physical nature of basketball, despite the intensity of the play.
The incident occurred in the third quarter when Reese attempted to block Clark’s layup and inadvertently struck Clark on the side of her head.
Originally called a common foul, the referees, upon reviewing video footage, escalated the call to a flagrant 1 after it became clear that Reese’s right arm had missed the ball and instead made contact with Clark’s face.
Despite the on-court drama, Clark had a standout performance, scoring a game-high 23 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including 3-of-7 from three-point range.
She played a crucial role in improving the Fever’s record to 5-10 for the season and 3-4 at home. Beyond her scoring, Clark also dominated in playmaking and rebounding, leading all players with nine assists and adding eight rebounds and two blocks to her stat line.
On the other side, Reese, playing her rookie season with the Chicago Sky, registered a robust double-double, scoring 11 points and securing 13 rebounds.
She also contributed five assists, two steals, and a block over 31 minutes of play. After the game, Reese expressed her own frustrations, particularly with the officiating. “It’s a basketball play,” she stated. “I can’t control the refs. They affected the game obviously a lot tonight.” She highlighted perceived inconsistencies in officiating, suggesting a disparity in how fouls were called against her team compared to their opponents.
The rivalry between Clark and Reese traces back to their college days, beginning notably during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Tournament final.
Reese, then a standout at LSU, famously taunted Clark by pointing to her ring finger as the Tigers neared a championship win over Clark’s team.
The narrative continued as Clark led her Iowa team past Reese and LSU in the following year’s Elite Eight, though Iowa subsequently fell in the national title game to an undefeated South Carolina.
Their professional careers have kept the rivalry alive, with their first encounter in the WNBA occurring just earlier this month, resulting in a narrow one-point victory for Indiana.
Clark sees their ongoing competition as a boon for the visibility of women’s basketball. “I think it’s just the emotion and the passion that we play with,” she noted. “I think people love to see that. And I think that’s maybe not something that was always appreciated in women’s sports, and it should be.”
This statement from Clark underscores the broader significance of their rivalry, suggesting it could enhance interest and appreciation for the women’s game.
