Table of Contents
- Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rivalry is far from over
- Indiana Fever vs Chicago Sky had a match on Saturday
- Reese was subjected to on-arena and online hate and racism
Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rivalry is far from over, judging by the highlights of their recent clash.
Indiana Fever vs Chicago Sky had a match on Saturday that revealed how deep the rivalry between these two WNBA players goes.
Indiana Fever won the match, sparking a fresh tirade of rivalry with Sky’s golden girl, Reese.
The most fascinating thing about the Indiana Fever vs Sky clash was the high level of excellent play exhibited by both Clark and Reese.
Clark grabbed a triple-double, earning 12 points for the match while Reese bagged 17 rebounds during the match.
What is the Cause of Caitlin Clark Angel Reese Rivalry?
Saturday, May 17, is a day WNBA fans won’t forget soon, all thanks to Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rivalry. It all happened in the last quarter of the match, barely more than 4:38 minutes to the end of the game.
Clark went for the ball just above Reese’s head in what appeared at the moment as an arm contact.
Chicago Sky player Angel Reese is tackled by Indiana Fever star player Caitlin Clark. Photo/Getty Images
Her move sent Reese sprawling on the floor, and a slight confrontation ensued. Caitlin was handed a foul for making a deliberate arm contact with her opponent.
But at the end of the game, Reese walked away with a technical foul. Speaking post-match, the Fever star said her foul over Reese was unintentional.
Reese while commenting on the same added that it was just a basketball play and nothing much.
However, as the two players spoke lightly of the foul, it replayed memories of the 2023/2024 WNBA season. Clark said that Reese was racially abused by loud fans during and after the match.
Clark was shoved around multiple times by WNBA veterans, sparking bigotry claims in women’s basketball.
What followed was a barrage of hate messages online from fans, further exacerbating the Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rivalry. So bad was it that the WNBA issued a statement stating that they would investigate all hateful comments by fans made during the game.
The league was categorical that it doesn’t support racism and discrimination of players.
What Did Angel Reese Say about Caitlin Clark’s Foul?
Chicago Sky player Angel Reese with Indiana Fever star player Caitlin Clark. Photo/Fox Sports
Despite the physical and online hate she received during and after the match, Reese lightly termed Clark’s foul that sent her down to the floor as a normal occurrence in basketball.
She said that the Fever player had no ill motive in knocking her down, as some people assume.
Clark, a white WNBA star, said that no player should be subjected to hate and racism because of their skin colour or otherwise.
She has in the past made bold statements to water down the Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rivalry. She boldly condemned her fans for the hate, racism and discrimination they project to Reese through her.
In 2024, she told the press that she considers those who hate against black basketball players as trolls and not her fans.
What Happened Between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark?
Chicago Sky player Angel Reese gets a tackle by Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark. Photo/Men’s Journal
Saturday’s game between Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever sparked a flurry of hateful, discriminatory and racial abuse against Reese.
It was made worse by Clark’s foul after accidentally pushing down Reese in the final quarter of the game.
The WNBA launched the ‘No Space for Hate’ campaign to address systemic racism and other social prejudices that WNBA players are subjected to in different arenas.
Recent findings by the University of Illinois and Rice University released damning findings on the Caitlin Clark Angel Reese rivalry.
The two studies stated that racial bias was dominant in WNBA and NCAA.
A similar gesture by Clark and Reese was perceived differently by fans. Reese bore it all with racial abuse while the same wasn’t projected to Clark.
Shahill Parsons, a sociology doctoral student at Rice University, in his study of the Reese-Clark rivalry, said that it will end up a disaster for the WNBA and Clark.
He challenged the WNBA to put systems in place to address bigotry lest it suffer in the end.
