There’s something magnetic about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese sharing the court. Maybe it’s the history. Maybe it’s the swagger. Or perhaps it’s that even when they agree, the sparks still fly.
On Saturday, during the Indiana Fever’s dominant 93–58 win over the Chicago Sky, the latest flashpoint in their storied rivalry came with 4:38 left in the third quarter. Reese fought for an offensive rebound. Clark came in swinging, slapping down on Reese’s arm hard enough to send her to the floor.
© Getty ImagesBut if you were expecting fireworks at the postgame mics? You got a fire extinguisher instead.
“Let’s Not Make It Something That It’s Not”
That was Caitlin Clark’s message. Fresh off the third triple-double of her WNBA career (20 points, 10 boards, 10 assists, and a career-high four blocks), Clark wasn’t interested in dramatics.
“It was just a good play on the basketball,” she told reporters. “I’ve watched a lot of basketball in my life, that’s exactly what it was. I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. That’s not the type of player I am.”
© Getty ImagesThe referees didn’t see it quite so innocently. After a review, Clark’s third personal foul was upgraded to a flagrant 1. Angel Reese picked up a technical foul for jawing back. And Aliyah Boston, who stepped in to cool things down, was also hit with a tech, something she found out after the game and reacted to with a look of pure disbelief.
Crew chief Roy Gulbeyan defended the flagrant call, citing “wind up, impact, and follow through” that made the slap “unnecessary contact.” The verbal and physical altercations that followed, he said, warranted technical fouls on Reese and Boston, respectively.
© Getty ImagesKeep It Moving
When asked about the skirmish, Reese kept it simple: “A basketball play.”
Clearly, the Sky weren’t in the mood to fan any flames.
© Getty ImagesDespite the diplomatic postgame quotes, let’s not pretend this wasn’t a moment. The Clark-Reese saga has been a running subplot in the boom of women’s basketball viewership, and this incident, like it or not, added fuel.
It all started in college. Reese’s LSU beat Clark’s Iowa in the 2023 national title game. Clark got her payback in the 2024 Elite Eight, pulling in over 12 million viewers in the rematch. And now, just weeks into their rookie seasons, they’re four games into a WNBA rivalry that is already must-see TV.
© Getty ImagesThe Fever took three of those matchups, including Saturday’s blowout win, which matched the second-largest victory in franchise history. Clark has elevated Indiana into playoff contention. Reese, who dropped 12 points and a monstrous 17 rebounds, has had flashes of brilliance but missed the season’s end due to a wrist injury, per AP.
Defense Wins Games
What can’t be overlooked is how the dustup flipped the game’s momentum. After Reese’s flagrant free throws and a quick Sky bucket trimmed Indiana’s lead to 56–45, the Fever responded with a 9-0 run to end the quarter. Chicago never got closer than 18 points again.
Coach Stephanie White praised her team’s defense and Clark’s effort: “Nobody’s going to get anything easy against us. I thought it was a clear play on the ball as well.” That sentiment matched Clark’s take: “I went for the ball, clear as day in the replay.”
So yeah, it might’ve just been a basketball play, but it was also a moment, and something tells us there are plenty more coming.
