The social media-constructed rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark was ratcheted several notches after the Indiana Fever guard was called for a flagrant foul on Reese.
Clark’s Fever was already blowing out the Sky on Saturday, May 17, at the Gainbridge Field House in Indianapolis. The game ended with a final score of 93-58, marking a significant victory for the Fever.
Caitlin Clark called for a flagrant foul on Angel Reese
Reese looked like she was about to get an easy layup in the third quarter. Clark dashed in to intentionally foul her so that she would have to earn the points at the free throw line. However, Clark appeared to shove Reese a bit after the common foul, which sent Reese careening to the ground.
An outraged Reese was triggered and jumped up to yell in Clark’s face for the unnecessary basketball play. The game’s officials agreed with Reese and assessed Clark a flagrant foul, which prompted Reese to shoot a technical foul.
Moreover, the tension escalated when Reese and Clark’s teammate Aliyah Boston both received technical fouls for yelling and pushing each other. This added another layer of drama to the already intense game.
Reese, known for her sportsmanship, downplayed the incident, showing her respect for the game and fellow players. After the intense game, Reese spoke briefly about the episode, still reeling from the incident, giving a glimpse into the emotional aftermath.
“Basketball play. Refs got it right. Move on,” Reese said during the postgame press conference.
Caitlin Clark speaks on the foul on Angel Reese
Between the 3rd and 4th quarters, Clark claimed she didn’t think she earned a flagrant foul.
“It’s just a good take foul. Either Angel gets a wide open two points, or, you know, we send them to the free throw line,” she said to ESPN during the live telecast. “Nothing malicious about it. It’s just a good take foul, every basketball player knows that.”
Clark elaborated on the foul after the game. “Let’s not make it anything that it’s not,” Clark added postgame. It was just a good play in basketball. I’m not sure what the referees saw about upgrading it. That’s up to their discretion … I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. That’s not the type of player I am.”
The terse rivalry began after Reese’s LSU Tigers shellacked Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2023 national championship game, 102-85, and Reese was resoundingly condemned for rubbing it in Clark’s face. Bad blood has simmered beneath the surface between the two fan bases ever since.
