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Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese added fuel to the fire in her rivalry with Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.
It came just two days after Reese cheered teammate Chennedy Carter for knocking Clark to the floor in a June 1 game. Reese received a fine from the WNBA for not talking with the media after the Sky’s 71-70 loss, and the WNBA upgraded Carter’s violation from a common foul to a flagrant 1. Carter could get suspended with additional flagrant 1 fouls.
“I’ll take the bad guy role and I’ll continue to take that on,” Reese told reporters on June 3. “I’ll look back in 20 years and be like, yeah, the reason why we watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person, it’s because of me, too, and I want you to realize that.”
Clark’s popularity soared after the 2023 NCAA women’s championship game when her Iowa team lost to Reese’s LSU squad. As that rivalry budded, Clark got the lion’s share of recognition.
Clark broke the all-time NCAA scoring record, became the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft and signed a $28 million shoe deal with Nike. Reese went to the Sky with the No. 7 pick in the draft.
When Clark joined the WNBA, arenas sold out and the league changed team flights from public to charter. The league that opened in 1997 is experiencing an all-time high for popularity.
“A lot of us have done so much for this game, and there are so many other players in this league that have deserved this for a really, really long time, and luckily, it’s coming now,” Reese added.
Chennedy Carter: ‘It’s Smoke’
Carter, meanwhile, said she doesn’t regret how she played against the Fever on June 1.
“I’m going to compete and play 100% hard no matter who it is or who we’re playing,” Carter told reporters. “We’ve been able to take a lot of hits in the last 24, 48 hours. I’m over here smiling, I’m not complaining. … At the end of the day, it’s all love outside of basketball. When we’re in those four lines, it’s smoke. After, it’s all love.”
Sky Head Coach Teresa Weatherspoon Breaks Silence on Chennedy Carter Foul
Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon said she addressed Carter’s third-quarter shove of Clark in a statement. A former inaugural WNBA player herself, Weatherspoon played in the league from 1997 to 2003 before her coaching career led her back to the WNBA this year.
“Physical play, intensity and a competitive spirit are hallmarks of Chicago Sky basketball. Chennedy got caught up in the heat of the moment in an effort to win the game,” Weatherspoon wrote. “She and I have discussed what happened and that it was not appropriate, nor is it what we do or who we are. Chennedy understands that there are better ways to handle situations on the court, and she will learn from this as we all will.”
“As a team, we will grow together and continue to work hard to display strong leadership and set a positive example for our competitors, fans, and partners,” Weatherspoon concluded.
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