The WNBA’s opening weekend didn’t disappoint, especially for fans following one of the league’s most intense rivalries.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, who have been at odds since their college days, wasted no time reigniting the fire on the court during Chicago Sky’s game against the Indiana Fever.
The Shove That Set Off Sparks
In the third quarter, tensions boiled over when Clark pushed Reese to the ground after a battle for an offensive rebound.
The shove was more than just a physical play — it was a moment that sparked a brief but heated altercation between the two stars.
Clark slapped Reese’s arm hard enough to send her tumbling, earning herself a flagrant foul.
Reese immediately jumped back up and charged toward Clark, clearly fired up, but teammates quickly stepped in to cool things down before things escalated further.
Angel Reese’s Take on the Incident
Despite the obvious tension on the court, Reese kept her postgame comments short and sweet.
When asked about the shove, she described it simply as a “basketball play” and insisted the referees made the right call.
Her exact words? “Basketball play, refs got it right, move on.”
No drama, just a straightforward response from the Chicago forward who seemed ready to focus on the game rather than the confrontation.
Clark’s Explanation and Defense
Clark, meanwhile, took a similar stance during an in-game ESPN interview and later at her press conference.
She called the foul a “good take foul” — a calculated move to either prevent an easy score or send Reese to the free-throw line.
“There was nothing malicious about it,” Clark said. “Every basketball player knows that.
I wasn’t trying to do anything dirty. I went for the ball, and that’s clear as day on the replay.”
She also expressed some disagreement with the officials’ decision to upgrade the foul to flagrant, but acknowledged that’s up to the referees’ discretion.
A Rivalry Rooted in College Drama
Their competitive history goes way back. Reese and Clark first gained national attention with their clash in the 2023 NCAA Championship game between LSU and Iowa.
Reese famously taunted Clark with the “You Can’t See Me” celebration right in her face after helping LSU win the title — a moment etched into college basketball lore.
That rivalry carried over into the WNBA, where both battled for the Rookie of the Year award last season. Clark eventually took home the honor, adding another chapter to their ongoing competition.
The Game’s Outcome and Aftermath
After the shove incident, Reese missed the first free throw but made the second, with the Fever crowd buzzing in response.
Chicago managed a quick layup after that, trying to chip away at Indiana’s lead.
However, Indiana ended the third quarter on a 9-0 run, pushing their lead to 65-45 and essentially sealing the game’s fate.
The Fever cruised to a dominant 93-58 victory, with Clark clearly having the last laugh in this high-profile showdown.