WNBA fans have been stoking the fires before Saturday’s blockbuster showdown between Angel Reese and Chicago Sky against Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
A Chicago Bulls fan account has shared footage of both Reese and Clark answering questions on how they handle players being physical with them – with Reese, who helped Chicago Sky beat the Sparks on Thursday, relishing the challenge and Clark seemingly frustrated by it.
‘I’m a basketball player, they don’t give a damn if I’m a rookie,’ Reese says, referencing a collision last week with Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun. ‘They’re not supposed to be nice to me and lay down just because I’m Angel Reese. I got back up, I kept going and I kept pushing.’
Clark, meanwhile, speaking two days ago after her 30-point game in the loss to Los Angeles Sparks, said: ‘I think everybody’s physical with me. They get away with things that, probably, other people don’t get away with. It’s tough.’
Fans have compared Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark’s comments about handling physical play
Clark has called out 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, the differences in attitude sent fans into overdrive on social media.
‘Somebody’s a baby and the other one is tough,’ said one fan in the comments, while another wrote: ‘I think AR knows how to work an audience better (hence her social media presence is through the roof).
‘AR knew everyone would love that response and CC answers exactly how she sees it (right or wrong).’
A different fan said: ‘Okay… Let’s put this in perspective. Angel Reese is a physical down-low player who thrives on contact and, in a sense, bully ball.
‘CC is a sharpshooter so of course she doesn’t want physical play. She is not used to it yet but she will embrace the challenge.’
Another said: ‘To me, it’s more about their body language when talking. AR head is up and seems positive. CC head down reading something, looking negative.’
Clark was the first pick in the WNBA Draft earlier this year, while Reese went at No 7 to Chicago Sky.
The two were big rivals at college level, with Reese at LSU and Clark at Iowa.
In a 2023 game between LSU and Iowa, Reese did WWE legend John Cena’s ‘U Can’t See Me’ gesture in front of Clark – which the latter previously made famous in a game against Louisville.
Reese and Clark pictured at the WNBA Draft in April, where Clark was the first pick
The two players were rivals at college level, with Clark starring at Iowa and Reese at LSU
Last week, Reese seemed criticize Clark with a deleted tweet after the New York Liberty win
The Tigers star also looked at her college rival and pointed at her ring finger late in the fourth quarter.
And last week, Reese appeared to take a shot at Clark after the Sky beat New York Liberty in the Big Apple.
After the 90-81 win last Thursday night, Reese wrote on X: ‘And that’s on getting a WIN in a packed area not just cause of one player on our charter flight. #SKYTOWN,’ she wrote, with a blowing-a-kiss emoji at the end.
Reese and her Sky team did not have charter flights at the start of the season, but Clark and Indiana did. Reese’s mother later said that the deleted tweet was aimed at the media, not at Clark.
Clark and the Fever have the second-worst record in the WNBA at present, standing at 1-8 while Reese and Sky are 3-3 going into Saturday’s game.
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