Caitlin Clark Opens Up About Rumored Feud With Angel Reese

Basketball star Caitlin Clark has shut down rumors of a rivalry with fellow player Angel Reese after being named Time’s Athlete of the Year.

“We’re not best friends, by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another,” Clark said. “Yes, we have had tremendous battles. But when have I ever guarded her? And when has she guarded me?”

The rivalry accusation began at the 2023 national championship game between Clark’s Iowa and Reese’s LSU. In the final moments of the game, Reese walked up to Clark and pointed to her ring finger.

While social media was furious about the gesture, Clark sees it differently.

“I didn’t think it was taunting,” she said. “It really didn’t bother me. It’s just like, ‘Why don’t you talk about them winning? Or the incredible run that we went on that nobody would have thought we would have ever gone on?’”

She added, “The only thing people cared about was this controversy that was really fabricated and made up, and then that has continued to be the case ever since.”

The rumored rivalry persisted this year as both players entered the WNBA, with Clark going to Indiana Fever and Reese to Chicago Sky.

After another Chicago Sky player hip-checked Clark to the floor, Reese jumped off the bench and appeared to cheer. The incident sparked a furor among fans, who believed Clark was being unfairly targeted by other players.

“I never thought I was being targeted,” said Clark. “Obviously, that shouldn’t ever happen within a game. But basketball is physical. Your emotions can get the best of you. My emotions have gotten the best of me many times.”

Clark said she didn’t believe Reese’s reaction was malicious.

“I don’t even know if she really knew what happened,” she said. “Honestly, I don’t think she was cheering because somebody hit me. I really don’t think that would be the case. I hope not.”

Though Reese didn’t comment to Time, she previously opened up about her relationship with Clark in an interview with Complex.

“It’s just basketball,” she said. “I don’t have any hard feelings towards her and she doesn’t have any hard feelings towards me.”