Caitlin Clark - Angel Reese rivalry: 2023-2024 stats comparison and the “you can’t see me” gesture

Regardless of the sport or the player, there will always be a debate between those who covet tangible i.e., numbers and trophies won, and those who value that which can’t be measured precisely, which is to say the effect and more over what we can loosely refer to as the big picture. Where Iowa’s superstar is concerned, there is no comparison. Yet, she’s never won against LSU’s talisman. So, what does that mean?

Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese

Just last year, Iowa met LSU in the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball championship game and let’s just say it was a massive moment. With some comparing it to the 1979 men’s college basketball finals which saw Magic Johnson and Larry Bird begin their career-long rivalry, it was clear that the game was a big deal. To be clear, 9.9 million people tuned in to watch the game which placed it just below the aforementioned Johnson vs Bird contest, a game that is to this day the highest-rated NCAA championship game in history.

So, who are the protagonists of this modern version of an age-old rivalry? That would be Iowa’s record-breaking sensation, Caitlin Clark, and LSU’s leader, Angel Reese. Unlike Magic and Bird who never faced each other again in the collegiate arena, both young women will face off against each other again and this Monday night to be precise when Clark’s Hawkeyes meet Reese’s Tigers in the Elite Eight. If you didn’t know, last year’s contest was not close. Truthfully, Reese and her teammates were leading by 17 at halftime and never looked in doubt as they marauded to a title. Of course, that’s perhaps why Reese felt the need to taunt her opponent in the closing minutes of the game, pointing to her ring finger while making a “you can’t see me” gesture.” Interestingly, Clark herself defended Reese when the LSU star came in for harsh criticism on the grounds of unsportsmanlike conduct. This brings us to the present where both players have tried to downplay what appears to be a budding rivalry.

OK, so what does Clark vs Reese really look like?

Given the nature of modern collegiate sports, we’ve got to take a look - ironically - at more than just what athletes are producing on the field of play or in this case, the court. To that end, things such as NIL numbers come into play. Where do Clark and Reese stand? Let’s get into it. At present, both Reese and Clark have more Instagram followers than any other player - male or female - in the NCAA arena. On the other hand, it’s worth noting that Reese with 2.7 million followers has almost double the quantity of Clark who currently has 1.2 million.

As you can imagine, that creates a significant opportunity for both players to grow the reach of their respective brands, something that will undoubtedly mark the path of their respective careers going forward. This brings us to the crux of the matter, which is to say how do these two young women match up to each other on the court? Quite frankly, there is no contest between the two when it comes to the bottom line. This past season, one in which Clark literally re-wrote the NCAA’s all-time scoring record, saw her averaging 31.7 points per game.

Reese on the other hand was putting up an average of 18.7 per game, which was actually a decrease from what she registered in previous years. Of course, the addition of several new players such as Hailey Van Lith was a contributing factor, but when it comes to those who are looking for a talking point, the gap between Clark and Reese was clear. Yet, it’s got to be said that both players also shine in areas other than scoring. Clark for example led the nation in assists, while Reese finished second in rebounding. Ultimately, if there is one promising thing about the rivalry between these two, it’s that they appear to push each other to greater heights. With that in mind, this can only get better.