Iowa legend Caitlin Clark throws shade at Angel Reese, reigniting their never-ending rivalry

Hunter Cookston

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Iowa legend Caitlin Clark throws shade at Angel Reese, reigniting their never-ending rivalry image

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been going at it since their college days. Although their paths first crossed early in their careers at Iowa and Maryland, the rivalry didn’t truly heat up until Reese and LSU defeated Iowa and Clark in the NCAA National Championship. Clark got her revenge the following year in the Elite Eight.

Being the face of women’s college basketball comes with both perks and scrutiny. While the media initially framed them as rivals, it’s now clear that the competition between the two has become very real in the WNBA.

Tensions escalated last year when Reese made pointed remarks during a press conference. While she didn’t name Clark directly, the implication was clear—Reese wanted recognition for her impact on the women’s game.

“I know I’ll go down in history. I’ll look back in 20 years and be like: ‘Yeah, the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball isn’t just because of one person. It’s because of me, too,’” Reese said.

In the season opener, the Indiana Fever faced off against the Chicago Sky, pitting two of the WNBA’s biggest new stars against each other—a smart marketing move by the league. During the game, tensions boiled over into a scuffle. Clark was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul, while Reese and Fever forward Aliyah Boston each received technical fouls.

After the commercial break, Clark addressed the incident, subtly throwing shade at Reese.

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"It's just a good take foul. Either Angel gets wide open 2 points or we send them to the free throw line. Nothing malicious about it… Every basketball player knows that,” Clark told ESPN’s Holly Rowe.

Clark had the final word on the court, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and a career-high 4 blocks. She led the Fever to a dominant 93-58 win, kicking off the season with a statement victory. With that, Clark and the Fever are looking poised to have a wonderful year.

Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.