Caitlin Clark‘s and Angel Reese‘s names will possible stay linked so long as both of them is within the WNBA. However some argue that’s the place the similarities between the 2 ought to cease, particularly when contemplating the distinction between the way in which Clark has responded to a few of her early WNBA profession adversity versus Reese.
The Indiana Fever’s season has gotten off to a tough begin, with the crew solely managing to win one among its first seven video games. After Indiana’s seventh lack of the yr to Cameron Brink and the Los Angeles Sparks on Might 28, Clark spoke concerning the bodily techniques groups have used when she’s performed in opposition to them.
“I feel everyone’s bodily with me, they get away with issues that in all probability different folks don’t get away with,” Clark claimed.
For instance, in Indiana’s Might 22 recreation in opposition to Seattle, Clark was clearly whacked within the head by Ezi Magbegor. The refs didn’t name the foul. Seattle gained the sport 85 – 83.
Clark adopted up these feedback by primarily chalking up the aggressiveness as a byproduct of the WNBA.
“It’s powerful. That’s simply the details of the matter. This can be a very bodily recreation. You’re going to get stress, that’s simply skilled basketball. I feel it’s what it’s, truthfully.”
“I feel everyone’s bodily with me, they get away with issues that in all probability different folks do not get away with,” Caitlin Clark postgame, on physicality within the #WNBA pic.twitter.com/TdXHKyGXqg
— WillieGRamireZ (@WillieGRamirez) Might 29, 2024
Clark’s feedback got here after she had arguably the perfect recreation of her skilled basketball profession and etched her identify in WNBA historical past books by scoring 30 factors, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists within the recreation in opposition to the Sparks, making her the quickest rookie in league historical past to succeed in 100 factors and 50 assists.
However regardless of such a superb recreation, some followers have been nonetheless rubbed the fallacious means by what they felt was Clark’s “woe-is-me” angle about gamers being too bodily together with her. A number of observers shortly in contrast how Angel Reese dealt with a really bodily recreation in opposition to Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas.
Throughout the Might 25 recreation in opposition to the Connecticut Solar, the Bayou Barbie was on the receiving finish of a pair of onerous fouls from Thomas. Thomas and Reese have been jockeying for place all through the sport, however at one level on a Sky offensive possession, the Solar ahead lashed out and used her forearm throughout the Sky rookie’s throat to slam her to the ground as the 2 have been battling for a rebound. Thomas was assessed a flagrant 2 foul name on the play and ejected from the sport.
Afterward, Reese appeared to largely downplay the foul, saying she didn’t harbor any resentment towards Thomas.
“It’s not simply trigger I’m a rookie,” Reese stated concerning the foul. “I’m a participant. I’m a basketball participant. They don’t give a rattling if I’m a rookie. I imply, I need them to come back at me every single day, I need them to come back at everyone. I imply, they’re not speculated to be good to me. I hope you all know that. They’re not speculated to be good to me or lay down as a result of I’m Angel Reese or trigger I’m a rookie.
“Like, thanks A.T. for sending a message to me as a result of I received again up and stored going and stored pushing. Like, me and A.T. have been cool since we have been in Maryland, so I do know it’s not no onerous emotions. I admire her for going at me every single day.”
Angel Reese spoke on the onerous foul given to onerous by #CTSun Alyssa Thomas. Thomas was ejected from the sport.
Reese: “Thanks AT for sending a message to me, as a result of I received again up, I stored going and stored pushing.” #skytown #WNBA pic.twitter.com/7wVTAuQmjf
— Nick Hamilton (@NickHamilton213) Might 26, 2024
Followers have been fast to level out the stark distinction between Reese’s postgame response to physicality versus Clark’s response.
“Angel would by no means give this on the podium,” one particular person wrote.
“Her vs Angel Reese response night time and day,” one other particular person identified.
“I like (Caitlin Clark) however honey … (Angel Reese) simply received choked slammed and laughed about it,” a social media consumer stated.
“Angel received pushed to the ground and on the following offensive play, received choke slammed to the ground. She completed the sport and mainly informed AT, ‘I see you. It’s cool’ and instructed her supporters to calm down. In the meantime, CC….smh,” an X consumer said.
One fan introduced up the truth that Caitlin Clark was additionally responsible of not having flagrant fouls known as on her. They posted a video of Clark guarding Seattle Storm’s Sami Whitcomb with the caption, “MIND YOU… that was a flagrant foul too and this the identical lady that had 15 FREE THROWS final recreation…like cease it.”
MIND YOU…🙂 that was a flagrant foul too and this the identical lady that had 15 FREE THROWS final recreation…like cease it🥱 https://t.co/rbEvQFeKia pic.twitter.com/xqdrm7N6gK
— La_Morena (@La_Morena0736) Might 30, 2024
Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon additionally commented on how Reese dealt with herself through the scenario with Thomas and spoke concerning the rookie’s aggressive nature.
“That’s who [Reese] is. She loves this recreation, and he or she takes on each problem that I put earlier than her,” Weatherspoon stated. “We all know that she’s a rookie, however she’s a participant. She desires to compete. She desires to compete in opposition to the perfect. And if you compete in opposition to those that have been right here, know the way good they’re, all it’s going to do is enable you to to develop.
“She desires it. She loves it. She enjoys it, similar to each different participant on this crew.”
