WNBA fans have been stoking the fire ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster matchup between Angel Reese and Chicago Sky against Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
A Chicago Bulls fan account has shared footage of Reese and Clark answering questions about how they handle players being physical with them: Reese, who helped the Chicago Sky beat the Sparks on Thursday, enjoying the challenge and Clark seemingly frustrated thus.
“I’m a basketball player, they don’t give a damn if I’m a rookie,” Reese says, referencing a collision last week with the Connecticut Sun’s Alyssa Thomas. ‘You’re not supposed to be nice to me and sleep with me just because I’m Angel Reese. I got up, kept going and kept pushing.’
Meanwhile, Clark, speaking two days ago after his 30-point game in a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, said: “I think everyone is physical with me.” They get away with things that other people probably don’t get away with. It’s hard.’
Fans have compared Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark’s comments about handling physical play.
Clark asked for more help from referees in the early days of her WNBA career.
With Clark and Reese set to face off Saturday for the first time in the WNBA, differences in attitude sent fans into overdrive on social media.
“Someone is a baby and the other is tough,” one fan said in the comments, while another wrote: “I think AR knows how to work with an audience better (hence his social media presence is through the roof) .
“AR knew everyone would love that answer and CC answers exactly how she sees it (right or wrong).”
A different fan said: ‘Okay… Let’s put this into perspective.’ Angel Reese is a physical player who thrives on contact and, in a sense, the intimidating ball.
‘CC is a sniper, so of course she doesn’t want physical play. She is still not used to it, but she will accept the challenge.”
Another said: ‘For me, it’s more about their body language when they talk. AR’s head is raised and appears positive. CC with head down reading something and looking negative.’
Clark was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft earlier this year, while Reese went No. 7 to the Chicago Sky.
The two were great rivals at the college level, with Reese at LSU and Clark at Iowa.
In a 2023 game between LSU and Iowa, Reese performed WWE legend John Cena’s ‘You Can’t See Me’ gesture in front of Clark, which the latter made famous earlier in a game against Louisville.
Reese and Clark photographed at the WNBA Draft in April, where Clark was the No. 1 pick.
The two players were rivals at the college level, with Clark starring at Iowa and Reese at LSU.
Last week, Reese appeared to criticize Clark with a since-deleted tweet after the New York Liberty’s victory.
The Tigers star also looked at his college rival and pointed at his ring finger at the end of the fourth quarter.
And last week, Reese appeared to attack Clark after the Sky beat the New York Liberty in the Big Apple.
After the 90-81 win last Thursday night, Reese wrote on #SKYTOWN,” she wrote, with a kiss emoji at the end.
Reese and his Sky team did not have charter flights at the beginning of the season, but Clark and Indiana did. Reese’s mother later said the deleted tweet was directed at the media, not Clark.
Clark and the Fever have the second-worst record in the WNBA currently, at 1-8, while Reese and Sky are 3-3 heading into Saturday’s game.