Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have been rivals for as long as they can remember.
The competition began on the AAU circuit before culminating in a historic 2023 NCAA Championship game between Reese’s LSU Tigers and Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes, propelling both players into the national spotlight.
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Standing at 6ft 3in, Reese received backlash for taunting Clark with gestures during the championship game, further fueling their rivalry.
After entering the same 2024 WNBA Draft class, their rivalry persisted throughout their rookie seasons as they contended for the Rookie of the Year title, which Clark eventually won.
Despite speculations about animosity between them, Reese clarified that it’s purely competitive and dates back to their early encounters in eighth or ninth grade.
While fans have propagated their rivalry, Reese highlighted that it has both negative and positive effects, shedding light on women’s basketball.
During their rookie WNBA matchups, the Fever triumphed in three out of four games against Reese’s team, with impressive individual performances from both players.
Reese and Clark, known for shattering records, boosted women’s basketball’s popularity in 2024 through their exceptional skills, driving ticket and merchandise sales as well as increasing TV viewership and social media engagement.
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Credit: Getty
