The intense rivalry between Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky star Angel Reese has been well-documented, dating back to their time in college at Iowa and LSU.
Clark and Reese faced off two times in the NCAA Tournament, once in the Championship game (2023), and once in the Elite Eight (2024).
Reese and the Tigers got the better of Clark and the Hawkeyes in the first matchup with Clark getting revenge in the second matchup.
The WNBA has gained a much bigger following since the 2024 Draft class entered the league, headlined by Clark, Reese, and Cameron Brink.
Clark has received a bulk of the praise for helping the WNBA grow, and rightly so. During the 2024 season, Clark's rookie season, viewership skyrocketed. The four major networks that aired WNBA games (ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2) averaged 1.3 million viewers.
Six networks that aired Fever games set viewership records.
Reese has acknowledged the spike in viewers and has been much more vocal about her role in gaining those viewers, regardless of evidence to the contrary.
In one of her more famous quotes, she said she "will be the reason why we're watching women's basketball. It's not just one person, it's me too."
She has been constantly focusing on her stardom and has not been shy about her hatred of Clark in the media and during games. Rapper Ice Cube dealt her ego and the supposed "rivalry" between her and Clark an enormous blow.
In an article by The Spun's Andrew Holleran, he stated that Ice Cube, the founder of the BIG3 League, offered Clark a massive $5 million to join the league, which Clark declined.
Ice Cube admitted that when he spoke to investors and advertisers, they felt Clark would be the biggest draw, not Reese.
While an offer was made to Clark, Reese did not receive any offer, and the league was never planning on doing so.
As Reese's jealousy and hatred toward Clark persist, the WNBA continues to grow, with Clark remaining the focal point.
Hey, at least Reese was able to trademark "Mebounds," so she has that going for her.