Some rivalries are born of proximity. Others are built over years.
Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese didn’t need either.
It began with a stare-down and a finger point in the 2023 NCAA championship — a viral moment layered with style, personality, and pressure — and has only intensified since.
What started as a few seconds of postgame drama has evolved into something far bigger: a rivalry that lives on the court, on social media, in press conferences, and in every comment section that dares bring up either player.
This isn’t just Clark and Reese trading buckets. It’s a clash of styles, voices, and expectations — two players carrying the weight of a league that’s still figuring out how to handle the spotlight they’ve helped create. And whether it’s college, WNBA, or the next Olympics, this rivalry isn’t cooling off anytime soon.
🕰️ Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese Rivalry Timeline
April 2, 2023 — NCAA Title Game Sparks the Rivalry
LSU defeats Iowa 102—85 to win the 2023 National Championship. Angel Reese taunts Caitlin Clark with the now-famous “you can’t see me” gesture and finger point, igniting national conversation about sportsmanship, race, and trash talk. The moment becomes the defining visual of the rivalry.
Clark responds two days later, saying she doesn’t think Reese should be criticized: “I think everyone knew there was going to be a little trash talk ... I don’t think Angel should be criticized at all.”
April 3—7, 2023 — Media Firestorm
The postgame taunt draws national headlines and commentary from athletes, media, and even politicians. Reese defends her celebration in the press conference: “I don’t take disrespect lightly.”
The moment dominates sports media and crosses into pop culture, with major voices weighing in on double standards in how women — and especially Black women — are judged for expressing emotion on the court.
April 2024 — Both Declare for the WNBA Draft
Caitlin Clark declares for the WNBA Draft after finishing her college career as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer. Angel Reese declares shortly after LSU’s Sweet 16 loss, setting the stage for their rivalry to continue at the professional level.
Clark is drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever; Reese goes No. 7 to the Chicago Sky. Their first professional meeting is immediately circled on the WNBA calendar.
May 18, 2024 — First WNBA Matchup
Clark and Reese face off for the first time in the pros as the Sky edge the Fever 88-87 in Indianapolis. The game is physical, highlighted by a hard body check from Chennedy Carter that knocks Clark to the floor — and quickly goes viral.
Reese finishes with 13 points and 9 rebounds; Clark posts eight points and five assists on 2-of-8 shooting. The game draws ESPN2’s highest WNBA rating in over 20 years.
May 19—20, 2024 — Foul Fallout and Media Uproar
Chennedy Carter’s foul on Clark dominates the news cycle. Reese is seen clapping on the sideline moments after the hit, further fueling the rivalry storyline. She later likes tweets labeling the foul “just good defense.”
Clark keeps it even: “It’s just part of basketball.” Reese responds postgame: “This is what y’all wanted, right?” The moment underscores the intensity — and polarization — that now defines every Clark-Reese showdown.
July 20, 2024 — Clark and Reese Team Up in WNBA All-Star Game
For the first time since their collegiate rivalry began, Clark and Reese played as teammates during the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix. Representing Team WNBA, they faced off against the USA Basketball Women's National Team.
Clark, known for her playmaking abilities, recorded 10 assists, while Reese achieved a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, becoming the first rookie in All-Star history to do so.
A highlight of the game was Clark assisting Reese on a layup, followed by a celebratory high-five, symbolizing a moment of unity that resonated with fans and media alike. Their collaboration contributed to Team WNBA's 117-109 victory over Team USA, showcasing their ability to set aside past rivalries and work together effectively on the court.
May 17, 2025 — Flagrant Foul and Record Ratings in Season Opener
The 2025 WNBA season opener reignited the Clark-Reese rivalry as the Indiana Fever faced the Chicago Sky.
During the third quarter, Clark committed a hard foul on Reese, resulting in a flagrant 1 call. Reese attempted to confront Clark but was restrained by Fever center Aliyah Boston. Both Reese and Boston received technical fouls following the incident.
Despite the altercation, Clark delivered an impressive triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, leading the Fever to a dominant 93-58 victory. Reese contributed 12 points and 17 rebounds for the Sky.
The game drew an average of 2.7 million viewers, peaking at 3.1 million, making it the most-watched WNBA regular-season game in 25 years. The WNBA launched an investigation into alleged racist comments directed at Reese during the game, emphasizing the league's commitment to maintaining a respectful environment for all players.
⚔️ Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese Head-to-Head Stats
Here's a breakdown of the three head-to-head showdowns between Clark and Reese, along with the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game (where they were teammates for the first time):
| Date | Result | Clark Stats | Reese Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2, 2023 | LSU 102, Iowa 85* | 30 PTS, 8 AST, 3 REB | 15 PTS, 10 REB |
| May 18, 2024 | Sky 88, Fever 87** | 8 PTS, 5 AST, 2-8 FG | 13 PTS, 9 REB |
| July 20, 2024 | Team WNBA 117, Team USA 109*** | 11 PTS, 10 AST | 12 PTS, 11 REB |
| May 17, 2025 | Fever 93, Sky 58 | 20 PTS, 10 REB, 10 AST | 12 PTS, 17 REB |
*NCAA women's national championship game.
**First WNBA regular-season meeting.
***2024 WNBA All-Star Game.
Through four matchups across college, the WNBA, and the All-Star stage, the numbers reflect what the rivalry has become: a clash of styles more than stat lines. Clark’s production leans on creation — her assist totals jump off the page — while Reese consistently dominates the glass and thrives in the paint.
The head-to-head score sits at 2-1 in favor of Reese for now, but the real story is how each game adds fuel to a rivalry that’s still just getting started.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese became the first rookie duo in WNBA history to both record a double-double in the same All-Star Game — and they did it as teammates.
🗣️ Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese Quote Wall
Caitlin Clark on Angel ReeseCaitlin Clark, Postgame Media (April 4, 2023)
Angel Reese After Sky—Fever MatchupAngel Reese, Postgame Interview (May 18, 2024)
Magic Johnson on Clark—Reese RivalryMagic Johnson, Interview (December 19, 2024)
Caitlin Clark on Relationship with ReeseCaitlin Clark, Interview (January 2025)
Caitlin Clark on May 17 FoulCaitlin Clark, Postgame Interview (May 17, 2025)
Angel Reese on May 17 IncidentAngel Reese, Postgame Interview (May 17, 2025)
Caitlin Clark on Racist Slurs Directed at ReeseCaitlin Clark, Media Availability (May 19, 2025)
Stephen A. Smith on the Clark—Reese RivalryStephen A. Smith, ESPN Analyst (May 19, 2025)
Angel Reese on Deleted Social Media PostAngel Reese, Interview (May 20, 2025)
🥊 Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese Tale of the Tape
| Category | Caitlin Clark | Angel Reese |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 23 | 23 |
| Hometown | Des Moines, IA | Randallstown, MD |
| Position | Guard | Forward |
| Height | 6'0" | 6'3" |
| College | Iowa (2020-23) | Maryland (2020-22), LSU (2022-24) |
| NCAA Titles | 0 | 1 (2023) |
| NCAA Career Points | 3,951* | 1,728 |
| NCAA Career Rebounds | 990 | 1,426** |
| Drafted | 1st overall (2024) | 7th overall (2024) |
| Pro Jersey Sales | #1 in WNBA (2024) | #2 in WNBA (2024) |
| Endorsements | Nike, State Farm, Gatorade, Xfinity | Reebok, Beats by Dre, Coach, Amazon |
| Social Following | ~3.6 million (as of May 2025) | ~2.4 million (as of May 2025) |
*NCAA record (men or women)
**23rd all-time in NCAA women's basketball
📈 Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese Impact Tracker
This isn’t just a rivalry — it’s a revenue driver, a ratings juggernaut, and a cultural tipping point. Every time Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese share a court, the numbers move. From sold-out arenas to viral clips, here’s how the Clark-Reese effect is reshaping the WNBA in real time.
🏟️ Attendance Impact
The Fever-Sky game on May 17 sold out Gainbridge Fieldhouse with 17,274 fans — Indiana’s largest regular-season crowd in over a decade. It wasn’t just a hot ticket in Indianapolis; it marked one of the fastest WNBA sellouts in recent memory, driven almost entirely by the Clark-Reese effect.
📺 Ratings Surge
That same game drew 3.1 million peak viewers on ABC, making it the most-watched WNBA regular-season broadcast since 1999. To put that in perspective: it outdrew several NBA games from earlier in the year and nearly quadrupled the WNBA’s 2023 season average.
💰 Ticket Resale Spike
Average resale prices for Fever-Sky games have jumped more than 65% compared to last season — with some lower-bowl seats clearing $400 on secondary markets. It’s pricing out casual fans and creating playoff-level demand in May.
🧢 Merch Sales
Caitlin Clark owns the WNBA’s best-selling jersey — not just among rookies, but league-wide. Angel Reese ranked No. 4 in April 2025, and both trailblazers are outselling established stars like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart in official team stores and online.
📲 Social Growth
Since entering the league, Clark and Reese have gained a combined 2.5 million new Instagram followers — and that doesn’t even include TikTok, where Reese’s All-Star behind-the-scenes videos have gone viral multiple times. They’ve become the WNBA’s social engines almost overnight.
🔍 Google Trends Spike
After their first pro meeting in 2024, Google searches for “WNBA schedule” and “Clark vs Reese” exploded by more than 600%. That’s not just a bump — that’s casual sports fans actively seeking out women's basketball coverage in real time.
🔁 Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese: What's Next?
This rivalry doesn’t take breaks — it just reloads.
Whether it’s a regular-season rematch, a playoff collision course, or a future Team USA roster spot up for grabs, Clark vs. Reese is guaranteed to stay in the spotlight. Every game has stakes. Every quote fuels the fire. And every matchup brings something new to the narrative.
We’ll be updating this tracker throughout the 2025 season — and beyond — as this era-defining showdown continues to evolve.
Future 2025 Games
June 7: Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky, 8 p.m. ET (CBS)
July 27: Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN+, ABC)
August 9: Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever, 8 p.m. ET (CBS)
September 5: Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever, 7:30 p.m. (ION)
Other Potential Encounters
💥 The WNBA All-Star Game takes place July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN, as part of WNBA All-Star Weekend. Not surprisingly, tickets to the game have already sold out, with Clark expected to be a shoo-in to represent the Eastern Conference in her home arena. And with Reese also expected to content for an East roster spot, we're in line to see the league's two most notable rivals team up yet again this summer.
💥 The WNBA playoffs kick off in the middle of September. With Clark's Fever and Reese's Sky both residing in the Eastern Conference, there's no chance of their teams meeting for the WNBA championship — but they could face off in either the first or second rounds of the postseason. The Fever are among the favorites in the latest WNBA odds, and it would be fitting to see Clark's path to a first title run through Reese and Chicago.
💥 We're a long way from the women's Olympic basketball tournament taking place in Los Angeles in July 2028. And while Clark's trajectory has her as a virtual lock for the U.S. women's team, it's unclear whether Reese will be an equally viable candidate three-plus years from now. Still, there's a chance these rivals might once again be united, this time on the biggest stage in women's hoops.
