Caitlin Clark is the biggest star in the WNBA today, with Angel Reese right behind her in terms of popularity. Ever since their showdown in the 2023 NCAA championship game — when Reese famously taunted Clark in the closing moments as the LSU Tigers defeated Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 — the two have often been portrayed as rivals.
However, in an interview with ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” after the game, Clark defended Reese from the hate she was getting for using John Cena’s “You can’t see me” gesture and pointing to her ring finger.
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“I don’t think Angel should be criticized at all,” she said. “I’m just one that competes and she competed. I think everybody knew there was going to be a little trash talk in the entire tournament. It’s not just me and Angel. We’re all competitive. We all show our emotions in a different way. You know, Angel is a tremendous, tremendous player. I have nothing but respect for her.”
Reese once hoped to be teammates with Clark
A few months after her taunts went viral, Reese offered nothing but kind words about Clark. She even talked about the possibility of the two teaming up.
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“I love Caitlin,” Reese said. “We’ve been competing since we were in AAU. It was always fun, always competitive. One day, hopefully, we could even be teammates. She is a great player, shooter, person and teammate. The world is always going to have a good girl and a bad girl.”
Clark and Reese eventually became WNBA stars, but their rivalry — and people’s efforts to pit them against each other — hasn’t stopped.
The two made headlines early in the 2025 WNBA season after Clark’s hard foul on Reese triggered another media firestorm. Things mellowed down eventually due to Clark’s injury-plagued campaign — she played just 13 games and missed the Indiana Fever‘s postseason run. The Fever were one win away from making the WNBA Finals before falling short in Game 5 of the semifinals against the Las Vegas Aces.
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Reese, on the other hand, caused an internal issue with the Chicago Sky late in the season. Her remarks in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, criticizing the franchise and her teammates, led to her suspension.
Clark and Reese together in Indiana?
Due to Reese’s comments about the Sky and her teammates — she urged the front office to “get great players” — rumors began to swirl that she’s available for a trade. That’s when former NBA player Gilbert Arenas suggested that the Fever should target Reese in the offseason.
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“If I’m Indiana, Caitlin, you’re safe,” Arenas said. “Everybody else, who do you want over here?”
While a trade isn’t possible for now, especially with the ongoing CBA negotiations, having both Clark and Reese on the same team would be a game-changer for both the Fever and the WNBA.
One of the biggest flaws in Reese’s game is her ability to finish, but she also lacked a proper point guard during her first two seasons with the Sky. Meanwhile, Clark is one of the best playmakers in the league today, so it’s safe to assume the two would benefit from playing with each other.
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Then again, their rivalry might be even better for the WNBA. After all, that’s exactly what skyrocketed the NBA’s popularity in the 1980s, headlined by Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson. The two changed the NBA forever, and it seems like Clark and Reese are doing the same for the WNBA.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
