Amidst rumours of a rivalry, WNBA rookies Caitlyn Clark and Angel Reese are proving their game is all about brilliance, not beef.
The tension narrative between Clark and Reese first emerged during their college days, with Reese at LSU and Clark at UIowa.
Was what sparked this narrative simply the tendency to place two standout women against each other, or was there a clash on the court between these highly competitive stars that gave body to the constant tales of rivalry? The answer is the former.
Although trash talk is common in men’s college basketball and the NBA, the intense competition between these two women attracted negative attention and fueled false rumours.
Both Clark and Reese denied these rumours.
“I’m just one that competes, and she competed, so I think everybody knew there was gonna be a little bit of trash talk throughout our entire tournament,” Clark reveals during her interview with ESPN. “It was not just me and Angel. LSU deserves the win they played so well, and like I said before I’m a big fan of hers,”
Shortly after Clark’s interview Reese addressed the rumours in a separate interview.
“Me and her have never had beef. We’ve always been super competitive every time we play against each other,” Reese stated during an interview with ESPN’s First Take . “It’s fun. She does it. I do it. A lot of players do it. Not just women, men do it as well.”
Since completing their college years both women have broken records in the WNBA, silencing their haters and establishing their legacies in the process.
Reese left viewers amazed with her standout moments as her inaugural WNBA season ended. In her rookie year alone, Reese became the first rookie in WNBA and NBA history to record consecutive 20 –rebounds since the legendary Shaquille O’Neal did the same. Reese also managed to set a record for the most double– doubles in WNBA history.
Despite the hype around the accused tension with Clark, Reese remains focused on making her mark and establishing herself as a memorable player in the league.
Not only has Reese sparked a new era for the WNBA, but Clark is also making numbers for herself, paying no mind to the past rumours and focusing on her journey forward.
Clark also set WNBA records, including the first rookie triple-double marking in Indiana Fever history. During the beginning of the season, Clark became the first rookie in WNBA history to record over 400 points. After making headlines with her assist numbers Clark became the first rookie to surpass 240 assists.
The takeaway of these rumours is that social media has distorted the truth with a misogynistic narrative, that fierce competition between two women is impossible without tension and problems. Even though both women are undoubtedly exceptional and are breaking rookie records never seen before, the media is still focused on the already disproven rivalry between them.
In the meantime, what’s being overlooked by online discourse and commentary is the boost in women’s basketball viewership ignited by the competition between Clark and Reese. During their LSU vs. UIowa match, The Bleacher Report noted that the tournament set a record for most watched women’s basketball game with an average of 12.3 million viewers surpassing the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA tournament.
Shifting the focus from accused rivalries to the undeniable impact Clark and Reese have had on women’s basketball is crucial to the sport. Clark and Reese’s competitive spirit has not only elevated their personal careers but also boosted visibility within women’s basketball.
