Caitlin Clark’s comments on Angel Reese rivalry leave Christie Sides stunned

Caitlin Clark’s feisty press conference comments about a rivalry with Angel Reese ahead of the Fever taking on the Sky left head coach Christie Sides stunned

Caitlin Clark hit out at the media when she was asked about her relationship with Chicago Sky star Angel Reese.

Two of the WNBA’s brightest stars do battle again on Sunday when the Indiana Fever travel to face the Chicago Sky. The previous two encounters this season have seen Clark and the Fever come out on top on both occasions, winning 71-70 and 91-83 earlier this month.

Both games have been fought with a ferocious approach and controversy has surrounded their recent battles on the court. Clark has been subject to physical battles from opposition players this year, namely from Reese and her Sky teammates when Chennedy Carter bodychecked her to the ground in the first game. Reese jumped off the bench to cheer the challenge.

In the second clash two weeks later, Reese caught Clark in the head as she tried to block a shot at the rim and was given a flagrant foul. Following the game, the power forward hit out at the officials, claiming Clark gets a ‘special whistle’ from referees to protect her.

However, Clark was adamant that she has no rivalry with Reese, and any suggestion of such has been drawn up and driven by the media. But she admitted that she’s happy to play her part in the narrative if it stokes up interest levels.

“I’m pretty sure that the only people who view this as a rivalry is all of you,” she said to reporters. “For us, it’s just a game of basketball. That’s what it is. If it’s going to help move the game forward then absolutely. That’s amazing. That’s what it should be. People can talk about it.

Clark claimed any rivalry with Reese is driven by the media ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

“We’re excited. We have to wipe this (the Atlanta win), learn from it. We travel tonight, get there, practice, prep and then play the next day at 4pm. Like I said, if that’s what is going to help the game move forward then absolutely (call it a rivalry). I think the two prior matchups lived up to what everyone was expecting, just really great basketball games honestly.”

The two will face off again in the Wintrust Arena in front of 10,000 fans just days after Clark and the Fever made it four consecutive wins after beating Atlanta Dream in the sold out State Farm Arena with 17,000. Despite feeling the frustration of not being able to play in the 21,000 capacity United Center due to rapper Russ performing on the same night, Clark is still excited to bask in the atmosphere.

“It’s fun, you can feel the energy tonight,” Clark added. “There aren’t many cheering against us and that certainly helps. I think that’s energy you can feed off. You can just feel it, it’s something you always want and you want to perform for them. You want to be great for them.”