“I don’t get it at all!” Caitlin Clark dumbfounded by Angel Reese rivalry claims
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were responsible for most of the highest viewed games in the 2024 WNBA season.
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Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were pitted as rivals in their debut WNBA season
Well before arriving at the WNBA, the rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese had captivated women’s basketball. Once they both arrived at the professional league, the rivalry continued to capture the attention of fans as they battled four times this past season.
The WNBA and media were billing their battles as what Magic Johnson and Larry Bird had in the NBA. Even if the media at times wanted to take it out of context, the two kept their head down and stuck to their roles.
It got to a tipping point when Reese was subjected to incredible levels of hate. She took it in her stride and even willingly took on the role of the villain. But time and again, some suggested the two, who play completely different positions, were not really direct rivals.
There was also a popularity battle taking place without their direct inputs in it. When the two met on court, that usually translated into record breaking viewers. But Caitlin Clark feels it has been blown out of proportion, as she revealed to Time magazine.
I don’t get that at all. We’re not best friends, by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another. Yes, we have had tremendous battles. But when have I ever guarded her? And when has she guarded me?
Caitlin Clark on Angel Reese rivalry
The Indiana Fever superstar knows that the media spun the narrative of their rivalry ever since that 2023 NCAA Championship game. But she has also stated in the past that Angel Reese has been in battles with her since high school and the two have nothing but mutual respect for each other.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese rivalry to see five games next season
Even if the Indiana Fever superstar wants to dispel the notion that they are rivals, the media and fans do not agree with her. Moreover, the league wants to use this situation to continue feeding fans into packing arenas and tuning on their television sets.
Next year, not only will Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark be the headline opening day battle. But they will also resume this so-called rivalry a staggering four more times. Even the NBA has not stretched a rivalry this much in recent memory.
It shows they want to keep milking the supposed rivalry as much as possible. If the duo managed to rake in millions of viewers in their first year, the WNBA might be expecting them to build on that and draw even more fans.
Next season, the two will focus on helping their teams improve over last season’s performances. For Reese and her Chicago Sky, that means fighting for the playoffs. For Clark and the Fever, it will be to advance to the next round.
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Joseph Varghese
(2268 Articles Published)