This is what Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese said about Indiana Fever’ s Caitlin Clark and her fan base
As stars of college, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark locked horns many times and so too did their fan bases, but the Sky star thinks some have gone too far.
Who doesn’t love a good rivalry? From the battles they fought when they played for LSU and Iowa, to the ones that are now playing out on the WNBA stage, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are without doubt two of the women’s game’s biggest stars and they’re just getting started. Yet, what happens when a player’s fan base crosses a line where the rival is concerned? That’s something that the Chicago Sky’s rookie believes she’s been on the receiving end of.
Angel Reese opens up about abuse from Caitlin Clark’s fanbase
With what’s been mentioned before and the countless other reports that are already available, there should be no doubt about how large and vocal the fanbases of WNBA rookies Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are. With the effect that Clark has had on the league and its audience, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. As for Reese, the reality remains that she bested Clark’s Iowa in the college championship game while playing with LSU and has since got the better of her in meetings between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever since they both entered the league earlier this year. Needless to say, fans of the No. 1 overall pick haven’t taken that so well which has led to some uncomfortable moments for Reese.
Speaking on her new podcast “Unapologetically Angel”, Reese spoke openly about her feelings where Clark is concerned as well as some of the interactions that she’s had with the Fever’s guard. “Caitlin is an amazing player and I’ve always thought she was an amazing player. We’ve been playing each other since high school,” the Chicago Sky forward said. “So I think it’s really just the fans - her fans, the Iowa fans, now the Indiana fans - that are, like, they ride for her and I respect that, respectfully, but sometimes it’s very disrespectful. I think there’s a lot of racism when it comes to it and I don’t believe she stands on any of that.”
Sadly, Reese explained that the disrespect that she referred to has gone way beyond comments on social media. “...But when it comes to death threats, like, I’m talking about people have come down to my address, following me home, it’s come down to that,” she said. “Multiple occasions, people have made AI pictures of me naked, literally. They have sent it to my family members. My family members are, like, uncles are sending it to me, like, ‘Are you naked on Instagram?’ It sucks to see that and it’s really hard that I have to go through that, and now seeing other players even having to go through that.”
Given what Reese says she has faced, it’s impressive to see that she has still maintained a positive view of Clark, even adding that she has no problems with the former Iowa star, who she infamously taunted in that fateful championship game with a “you can’t see me” gesture, essentially igniting their rivalry. Of course, said gesture was also something that Clark used in the Hawkeyes game against Louisville which only added further fuel to the fire. Ultimately, Reese and Clark are undoubtedly the WNBA’s top two rookies right now, something that has been cemented by the fact that both have set records this season. Unfortunately, some fans can’t see that their rivalry is a respectful one, and one that is good for the league as a whole. Will that change, who’s to say but Reese certainly hopes so. “At the end of the day, it’s a game that we do both love, but there is no hate,” Reese said.