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The WNBA said it is investigating “hateful fan comments” during the Indiana Fever’s home win against the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
The context of the remarks wasn’t entirely clear. They took place as two of the sport’s biggest rivals, the Fever’s Caitlin Clark and the Sky’s Angel Reese, faced off on the court.
“The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms — they have no place in our league or in society,” the league said in a statement Sunday. “We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.”
Things between Clark and Reese got physical when Clark fouled Reese in the third quarter. The contact earned Clark a flagrant foul call and Reese, who tried to have a word with Clark afterward, a technical foul.
At a postgame news conference, Reese brushed it off. “Refs got it right — move on,” she said. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh voiced a similar sentiment at the news conference, dismissing the clash as a “basketball play.”
Sky CEO Adam Fox said the team welcomes the WNBA’s probe into the allegation of racism. “We encourage the league to continue taking meaningful steps to create a safe environment for all WNBA players,” he said in a statement Sunday.
Counterpart Mel Raines, CEO of the Fever’s corporate parent, said the team is cooperating with the investigation.
“We are aware of the allegations of inappropriate fan conduct,” he said in a statement. “We stand firm in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all WNBA players.”
A Sky representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday night.
Reese played at Louisiana State University before she was drafted into the WNBA. Her rivalry with Clark drew national attention in 2023 when she used a hand gesture familiar to Clark during LSU’s championship win over Iowa, where Clark had achieved fame as one of the college game’s greatest-ever players.
The two have continued to cross paths at the professional level. On Saturday, Clark’s Fever beat Reese’s Sky 93-58. Clark scored 20 points and registered 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Reese ended the game with 12 points, 17 rebounds and one assist.
