Sunday’s matchup between the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark versus the Chicago Sky and Angel Reese was highly anticipated by many considering all of the controversy that has circulated around the previous matchups between the two teams. But after the Sky’s thrilling victory, Reese downplayed the narrative that there is a “rivalry” brewing between her and Clark.
Both Reese and Clark had great games individually. Clark finished the game with a career-high 13 assists to go along with 17 points.
But it was Reese, who finished with a game-high 25 points and 16 rebounds, that got the last laugh in this matchup. The Sky were able to come away with the narrow 88-87 victory in the final moments after a missed game-winner attempt from Aliyah Boston at the buzzer.
After the game, Reese was interviewed by ESPN’s Holly Rowe to discuss both the game itself and some of the underlying topics surrounding her battles thus far this season with Clark.
Rowe asked Reese specifically whether she believed that there was a “budding rivalry” between her and Clark. Reese responded by saying that it is “just competition” to her, instead wanting it to be about her team’s success instead of her individual win over Clark in this matchup.
“It’s just competition,” said Reese. “I mean, they still got us, they are one up on us. So I’m just happy for the team. And I want to make it about us. Chicago, they came out tonight, so I’m just happy for us.”
"I'm a dog. You can't teach that." – Angel Reese to ESPN's Holly Rowe https://t.co/Tc3R2r1fHb pic.twitter.com/gQCPrsATWp
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 23, 2024
Angel Reese has received a ton of criticism amongst those with a platform in sports media who have the perception that she may be jealous of all the popularity Clark has gained and since helped bring to the WNBA.
But even her biggest critics have to admire her answer here in this interview, as it very much shows that Reese is a team-first player at the end of the day.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.