Caitlin Clark, named Time’s Athlete of the Year, gave an in-depth interview discussing her rookie season in the WNBA, including the media-fueled narrative surrounding her alleged rivalry with Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese.
Clark and Reese have been competing against each other since their college days, but their rivalry became a focal point after the NCAA championship game between Iowa and LSU. During the game, Reese pointed to her ring finger while approaching Clark, sparking widespread debate and headlines.
“I don’t get that at all. We’re not best friends, by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another. Yes, we have had tremendous battles. But when have I ever guarded her? And when has she guarded me?” Clark told Time.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark during a WNBA match between Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
She dismissed the controversy around Reese’s gesture, explaining that it didn’t feel like “taunting” and didn’t “bother” her. “It’s just like, ‘Why don’t you talk about them winning? Or the incredible run that we went on that nobody would have thought we would have ever gone on?’ The only thing people cared about was this controversy that was really fabricated and made up, and then that has continued to be the case ever since,” she said.
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Reese’s perspective on the rivalry
Angel Reese has also addressed the narrative around her and Clark. Speaking to Complex two weeks ago, Reese emphasized that while they are competitive, there are no hard feelings between them. She also noted how the rivalry has helped elevate women’s basketball.
“Obviously social media is going to put two women against each other, and I think it’s just been able to be something that is negative but also positive. I think it shines light on women’s basketball so I’ll take that as being able to be the person that gets the hate, but I know that at the end of the day I’m growing women’s basketball and helping women’s basketball,” she said.
A bright future for the WNBA
Both Clark and Reese have been transformative for the WNBA, which continues to grow in popularity. The league recently signed a groundbreaking 11-year media rights deal with Disney, Amazon Prime, and NBC, reportedly worth $2.2 billion. With stars like Clark and Reese leading the charge, the future of women’s basketball looks brighter than ever.
