Caitlin Clark Had Perfect Answer About Her ‘Feisty’ Matchups With Angel Reese

Kristen Wong | Jun 16, 2024

Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has been on the receiving end of a flagrant foul twice now when playing the Chicago Sky, but that hasn’t made her at all jaded about future matchups.

After the Fever’s 91-83 win over the Sky, Clark brushed off Sky forward Angel Reese’s flagrant foul during Sunday’s postgame presser.

“It’s just a part of basketball,” Clark said of Reese’s foul in the third quarter. “Just trying to make a play on the ball and get the block. It happens.”

Clark was driving toward the basket for a layup when Reese swung her arm and hit Clark in the back of the head. Reese was assessed a Flagrant 1 after official review.

In light of her competitive history against Reese, Clark was asked why her matchups with the former LSU standout tend to draw so much attention, dating back to when Clark’s Hawkeyes and Reese’s Tigers set viewership records in the NCAA women’s tournament. 

“I think it’s just the emotion and the passion that we play with,” Clark said. “I think people love to see that and I think that’s maybe not something that was always appreciated in women’s sports and it should be… We’re competitors. That’s the way the game should be. It’s gonna get a little feisty, it’s gonna get a little physical, but at the end of the day, both teams are just trying to win.”

Caitlin Clark on what draws viewers to herself + Angel Reese:

“I think it’s just the emotion and the passion that we play with. I think people love to see that and I think that’s maybe not something that was always appreciated in womens sports.” pic.twitter.com/bIJqBIsLKA

— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) June 16, 2024

Clark continued to heap praise on Reese, calling her a “tremendous” player and lauding her for what she has done with her platform in recent years. In two WNBA matchups, Clark is 2-0 against Reese, and the two will suit up for another showdown next Sunday in Chicago.

“It’s been fun getting to compete against her,” Clark said. “I think it’s been really good for the game. People just love seeing great matchups.”