Caitlin Clark says there is no rivalry with Angel Reese
The Indiana Fever rookie calmed the media storm surrounding a supposed rivalry with Angel Reese.
It’s happening again! The huge, teeth-crunching rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is set to recommence...
Wait? There’s no rivalry?
Not according to Clark herself, who said that the Indiana Fever’s upcoming fixture against Reese’s Chicago Sky harbours no hard feelings, despite what you may read in various media reports.
When asked about the supposedly hotly contested rivalry between the two rookies, Clark clarified that she was “pretty sure that the only people who view this as a rivalry is all of you [media]”.
Caitlin Clark has the most double-doubles by a WNBA rookie guard since 1997, per @StatMamba.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 23, 2024
Special. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VrySRdiTRR
Clark vs Reese ‘just a game of basketball’
Clark told spoke to reporters after the Indiana Fever defeated the Atlanta Dream on Friday night, telling them that “for us, it’s just a game of basketball. That’s what it is. If it’s going to help move the game forward, then absolutely. That’s amazing. That’s what it should be. People can talk about it.”
Despite these comments working to calm the waters, the previous game, which saw the Fever go 2-0 up in the series, was indeed a feisty game, with both players in the spotlight following some meaty challenges.
The ‘rivalry’, it seems, has been construed by the media ever since the two, arguably the top talents at amateur level, faced off in the 2023 National Championship game. The tie, which was a huge success in terms of audience, bringing in over 12 million at peak time, saw Reese and LSU claim their first national title against Clark and the Hawkeyes.
At the time, Clark wasn’t keen on getting herself dirty in front of the press and instead decided to divert the attention away: “I compete, she competed. It was a super, super fun game. I think that’s what’s going to bring more people to our game”.
On Reese’s part, she has indeed played ‘the bad guy’ on a previous occasion, saying “yeah, negative things have probably been said about me. But honestly, I’ll take that, because look at where women’s basketball is. … I’ll take that role. I’ll take the bad guy role and I’ll continue to take that on.” The competitive spirit of the two is clear to see on the court, but for now that’s where it’s staying, and we’re OK with that.
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