WNBA icons Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have sought to clarify their ‘feud’ as fans seek to set up a rivalry between the pair ahead of them reuniting on the court in a highly anticipated encounter.
Reese and Clark have made headlines over the gender pay gap between WNBA stars and their male counterparts in the NBA. The pair have common ground in their quest to close the pay gap - something President Donald Trump has commented on - yet fans have previously sought to set up a rivalry between the duo.
Clark has previously stated she doesn’t consider Reese a rival, stating in December: “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.”
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This ‘feud’ stems from 2023, when Reese and LSU beat Clark and Iowa in the NCAA Championship game.
Reese taunted Clark by pointing at her ring finger, and since then; fans have looked to pit these two against one another.
On the incident, Clark said: “I didn't think it was taunting. It didn't really bother me.
“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 that that has continued to be the case ever since.”
Reese reinforced Clark’s words as she downplayed reports of any personal anonymity between the pair, and insists there is mutual respect between the pair.
“I've been playing against Caitlin since we were probably in eighth or ninth grade,” Reese said in November. “We were both really competitive, even in high school.”
And Reese further emphasised that there are no hard feelings between herself and Clark, adding: “It's just basketball, and sometimes it gets crazy.”
“Me and Caitlin Clark don't hate each other.”
Angel Reese willing to play 'villain' to grow the sport
That said, Reese is willing to embrace the role of “villain” in any potential rivalry if it helps promote women’s basketball.
“Social media is going to put two women against each other, and while it's been negative at times, it's also positive because it shines a light on women's basketball,” Reese added.
“I'll take the hate if it helps grow the sport.”
Reese, who now plies her trade with the Chicago Sky, watched on as the Sky defeated the Washington Mystics 78-64 on Wednesday.
Clark’s Indiana Fever are faring better than the Sky in the Eastern Conference, but did lose 100-91 to the Los Angeles Sparks earlier this week.
Reese and Clark are expected to face off, however, when the Sky take on the Fever this weekend.
It’ll be the first time since the ‘grab’ incident in May, where Clark reached for the ball over Reese’s head, and made what appeared to be deliberate contact with her arm and sent the latter to the floor.
Topics: Basketball, NBA, WNBA
Ben McAleer