WNBA rookie of the year candidate Caitlin Clark expressed sadness over Angel Reese’s season-ending injury, calling it devastating and not something anyone wants to see. Clark shared her thoughts on Reese’s situation before the Indiana Fever’s 104-100 overtime victory against the Atlanta Dream.
“It’s definitely sad whenever you see anyone go down with an injury, especially people that you came into this league with,” Clark said in an interview with the Indianapolis Star. “You want to see her finish out this year. Obviously, she’s had a historic year, and she’s done some incredible things. For me, getting to play against her, her motor is up there — if not the best in the league. She just doesn’t stop working. I thought she had a tremendous year. I thought she came into the league and really did what she’s done well her entire career as long as I’ve known her.”
“It’s really devastating. It’s never anything you want to see from a player,” Clark added.
Reese shared on social media last week that her season had come to an early end.
“I’m filled with emotions right now that I have a season-ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next. Although this is God’s timing and not mine, I am finally able to give myself a physical and mental break. ‘God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers,'” Reese wrote.
Clark and Reese had impressive seasons as two of the WNBA’s standout players. Earlier in the season, Clark addressed the supposed rivalry between herself and a player from the Chicago Sky and dismissed the animosity narrative surrounding their matchups. Clark spoke out on the distraction their on-court battles had become during their college careers and how it took away from the success of their teams at Iowa and LSU.
The 2022-23 women’s basketball season concluded with a highly-anticipated showdown between Reese and Clark in the Elite Eight, which attracted record viewership. Despite previous conflicts, both players clarified that there was no ill-will between them before the rematch.
