The Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark rivalry has been brewing for years. This WBNA season, it seems like its hitting a tipping point every time they have a head to head matchup on the schedule. Some who may not have followed their rivalry dating back to their college days may not understand how it got started, but we’re hear to provide you with a timeline of the Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark rivalry.
Timeline of the Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark Rivalry
How Did the Rivalry Get Started?
The Reese/Clark rivalry began in college when the pair met in the 2023 NCAA national championship game a couple years ago.
Reese, who played for the LSU Tigers, met Clark, a star for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and got in each other’s faces during the game.
It seems as if Reese didn’t like Clark’s bullying of other players from other teams and decided to give Clark a taste of her own medicine in the national championship game, which LSU went on to win.
Reese got in Clark’s face, pointing to her ring finger to let her know that she’d have a championship ring and Clark didn’t. Of course, that rubbed Clark and the Iowa fanbase the wrong way.
Ratings went through the roof for that game, and it had a larger audience than the men’s national championship game that season, which was played the following day. Clark and Reese were ultimately the biggest names in college basketball and their matchup was must see television.
Basketball fans, especially WNBA fans, couldn’t wait to see what the pair would bring to the league, following their NCAA success.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark Rivalry Continued in the WNBA
Both Reese and Clark were first-round draft picks. Reese to the Chicago Sky with the seventh overall pick, Clark to the Indiana Fever with the number 1 overall pick. Despite both teams being at or near the bottom of the WNBA standings, affording them the high picks to get the stars, fans were excited to see the two match-up in the league.
Their first battle in the league was a 71-70 victory for the Indiana Fever, with neither player making much of an impact. Clark scored 11 points in the victory, while Reese scored just eight points. Clark went on to next 3 out of 4 matchups again Reese and the Chicago Sky in 2024.
The two would also be the top contenders for the WNBA Rookie of the Year honor in 2024, which Clark ultimately outdueled Reese for as well.
Still, it was the first matchup in 2025 that had people’s tongues wagging. Clark’s Indiana Fever dominated the Chicago Sky 95-58, with Clark contributing a 20 point triple double performance. However, that wasn’t the story.
Clark would push Reese for an initial hard foul and Reese took exception, charging back at her. Clark was upset that Reese previously pushed one of her teammates and decided to pay Reese back. Many could see that this has been building up over the years between the pair and it finally exploded somewhat in this game.
While both players have blown off the incident as just a basketball play, fans and media alike have taken to social media to show their disdain for both players.
What should have ended on the court has become a full-blown hate-fest online.
Reese fans have accused Clark fans and Clark herself of being racist. For her part, Clark has let it be known that she has always had respect for the WNBA players and even liked a Taylor Swift post endorsing Kamala Harris for president. However, she never formally came out and supported either candidate herself.
Memes like the one below floated on social media platforms for days.
Ryan Clark vs Robert Griffin III
Clark fans stirred the pot online with their racist comments, often comparing Reese to an animal or calling her a “thug.” The biggest controversy surrounding the incident may have been caused by ESPN commentator Ryan Clark and former ESPN college football analyst Robert Griffin III, both former NFL athletes.
RGIII, as he is known, said after what had happened between the two, that it was obvious that Reese “hated” Clark, but Clark’s response caused an even bigger uproar.
He basically called out his former teammate with the Washington team (now Commanders) and said he shouldn’t speak on this issue when has married two white women.
“If you’re RG3, when’s the last time within your household you’ve had a conversation about what she’s dealing with? You haven’t been able to do that because in both of your marriages, you’ve been married to white women,” he added. “You haven’t had opportunities to have those conversations to educate you on what they’re feeling, what black women deal with, what they’re seeing when they think of a young Angel Reese.”
Griffin took offense to what was said and thought Clark was attacking his wife and his marriage and many took his side.
But more people seemed to take the side of Ryan Clark, and basically thought Griffin should mind his own business; that’s how nasty this rivalry has become to some people.
Even the WNBA had to address the racist comments thrown at Reese but one thing is certain, this rivalry has gone way beyond basketball.
