INDIANAPOLIS — By nature, rivalries make every little thing really feel greater.
Wins really feel huge. Losses really feel crushing. Huge performances by gamers elevate them to cult hero standing.
And onerous fouls? Properly, these actually elicit much more emotion.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are not any strangers to any of that, because of a rivalry courting again to their faculty years, and on Saturday they acquired much more acquainted: Throughout the third quarter after Saturday’s season opener that was rapidly turning right into a blowout Fever win, Clark prevented Reese from ending an open layup with a tough foul.
And similar to that, a foul that’s seen frequently in basketball grew to become one thing a lot greater due to their preexisting rivalry.
Nonetheless, regardless of how routine of a tough foul that gave the impression to be, it’s additionally honest to say the gamers felt the burden of their earlier clashes a bit within the second. Reese instantly sprung up from the ground in pursuit of Clark, who dismissively turned her again to the fracas. Fever middle Aliyah Boston stepped between the pair to de-escalate issues as the 2 groups have been guided to their respective benches.
After evaluation, officers upgraded Clark’s foul to a flagrant one whereas additionally giving technicals to Boston and Reese, for the previous for stopping two faces of the league from a possible skirmish and suspension, an motion she is going to obtain a $200 wonderful for.
Between the third and fourth quarters, Clark spoke to sideline reporter Holly Rowe of ESPN and downplayed the matter.
Caitlin Clark to Holly Rowe on the flagrant 1 on Angel Reese:
“It’s only a good take foul. Both Angel will get extensive open 2 factors. Or, you recognize, we ship them to the free throw line. Nothing malicious about it. Only a good take foul. Each basketball participant is aware of that.”
— Meghan L. Corridor (@ItsMeghanLHall) Could 17, 2025
Clark went even additional throughout her postgame presser as she remained adamant that she did nothing greater than make a basketball play.
“Let’s not make it something that it’s not,” Clark mentioned. “It was only a good play on the basketball. I’m undecided what the refs noticed to improve it and that’s as much as their discretion…We watch a variety of basketball. It’s a take foul to place them on the free throw line. We’re not going to surrender two factors.
“I’ve watched a variety of basketball in my life. That’s precisely what it was. I wasn’t making an attempt to do something malicious. That’s not the kind of participant that I’m. This wasn’t something like that. I went for the ball.”
As soon as feelings cooled for Reese, she, too, downplayed issues.
This, nonetheless, will in all probability do little or no to tamp down the discussions nationally.
Saturday was not the primary time the 2 have been concerned in a basketball play that acquired a lot greater. Final season, Reese hit Clark within the head whereas going for a block, one other play that isn’t unusual in basketball, however blew up into one thing bigger due to who was concerned.
Whereas their rivalry began underneath completely different circumstances, extra lately, it’s been outlined by basketball performs being overanalyzed. In actuality, there isn’t a lot different substance to the meat at this level between Clark and Reese.
With regards to the precise on-court product, their two groups are on utterly completely different trajectories. On Saturday, the Fever tied their second-largest margin of victory in franchise historical past with a 35-point win. That comes after the ultimate assembly between the 2 groups final season was a blowout as nicely.
Traditionally, there isn’t any rivalry with the Fever and Sky. And private rivalry or no, it hasn’t been aggressive since their new respective stars entered the league, both, as Indiana is now 4-1 in opposition to Chicago since Clark and Reese entered the league. Indiana is speaking about competing for a title whereas the Sky misplaced 12 of their last 14 video games final yr earlier than their blowout defeat to open this season.
If there’s any form of rivalry right here, it’s between the gamers, or maybe extra precisely, between their supporters.
The primary sparks began when LSU, led by Reese, was placing the ultimate touches on a nationwide title over Iowa and Clark in 2023. Reese let it fly with the taunts, pointing to her finger as a logo of the championship ring to return.
Clark took the trash discuss in stride, acquired her revenge the subsequent season within the Elite Eight rematch and each moved to the WNBA, ushering in a brand new period of followers and eyes to the league. At the same time as Clark and the Sky had loads of rivalry-creating moments final yr, it by no means went past the courtroom.
Reese spoke about how a lot followers love to speak in regards to the two, acknowledging that individuals tune in to look at them. The pair teamed up within the All-Star recreation, and Reese even expressed pleasure about enjoying collectively (through Josh Weinfuss/ESPN).
“I’m trying ahead to it,” Reese mentioned. “All people can put on their ‘Get Alongside’ shirts collectively for someday, no less than. So I do know lots of people are going to return and watch us, to see all of us, however there’s a variety of expertise inside each rosters of the groups, in order that they’re in for a great one.”
Previous to Saturday’s recreation, Clark spoke in regards to the rivalry between the 2 sides, however targeted on how good it’s for the followers and basketball.
“Rivalry is nice for sport,” Clark mentioned. “Like, I perceive that. I grew up loving rivalries. I grew up in Iowa. Iowa-Iowa State, that’s like a professional matchup within the state of Iowa. I perceive that. Or whether or not it was my highschool crew. I nonetheless hate our rival highschool, Valley Excessive Faculty…I feel for the followers, it’s nice. They find it irresistible. I imply, Chicago is the closest crew to us. I get it geographically.”
Admittedly, although, the “Get Alongside” shirts are in all probability gone at this level. Each could downplay it, however within the second, it was clear that there was just a little additional occurring between the 2 gamers, whether or not it was the shove on the finish from Clark that (possible) led to the decision being upgraded, or Reese’s response.
On the similar time, each gamers have additionally demonstrated a capability to rapidly transfer on from no matter occurs on the courtroom, one thing their fanbases haven’t expressed a want or willingness to do.
Saturday’s second solidified that Clark and Reese will stay linked with one another. When the 2 sides meet once more in Chicago in three weeks, the main focus might be on the 2 of them, regardless of the place their groups are within the standings, and no matter what the pair says between at times.
However what Saturday additionally highlighted is that for now, this rivalry is being outlined extra by the response of everybody else to what’s taking place on the ground, moderately than any direct animosity.
