The WNBA has long been fueled by iconic rivalries that electrify fans, boost viewership, and define careers. In 2024, one such rivalry captured the imagination of basketball fans everywhere: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese.
Their fierce midseason clash, where Clark’s Indiana Fever dismantled Reese’s Chicago Sky (100-81), drew a staggering 1.6 million viewers and peaked at 1.92 million on ION.
But just when fans were expecting the next chapter in this heated saga, a well-known WNBA analyst has delivered a game-changing take that the rivalry might be coming to an end.
WNBA Analyst Believes That the Clark-Reese Rivalry Might Not Bloom
In her latest YouTube video, WNBA analyst Rachel Annamarie DeMita gave her candid opinion on what many consider the league’s most exciting player matchup. According to her, the highly anticipated feud may never truly blossom the way fans hoped.
“I also predict that the Angel Reese Caitlin Clark rivalry is going to be dead on arrival. I think that rivalry is actually done. I think it’s already done. Never truly made sense. It was fabricated from college. They don’t play the same position.”
“They’ve never once guarded one another. There was, just you guys know the story. The whole thing that happened in college. I think now at this point, they are both becoming their own,” said DeMita in her video.
The rivalry traces back to the 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship game, where the world first saw Clark and Reese clash on the biggest stage. Clark lit up the scoreboard with 30 points for Iowa, dazzling with her deep threes and playmaking.
But it wasn’t enough to stop Reese and LSU, who surged to a commanding (102-85) win. Reese, who contributed 15 crucial points, played a pivotal role in leading LSU to its first national championship and instantly became a lightning rod for discussion.
Both players have started their 2025 WNBA journeys strong. Clark, despite missing the Fever’s first preseason against the Washington Mystics due to a left leg injury, returned to help lead Indiana to a win against Brazil’s national team in their second outing.
Whereas Reese also impressed, helping the Chicago Sky to back-to-back preseason victories against the Minnesota Lynx and Brazil’s national team.
The anticipation is now building toward May 17, when the Fever and the Sky face off in their first regular season meeting in 2025 which is a game that’s sure to draw headlines, even if the rivalry flame is dimmer than expected.
Reese’s Mother Is Continuing the Clark-Reese Rivalry
While WNBA analyst DeMita predicted that the Clark-Reese rivalry wouldn’t carry over into the WNBA season, it appears someone else is determined to keep the fire burning. That someone is Reese’s mother, Angel Webb Reese, who has recently stirred the pot.
Following the Chicago Sky’s preseason win over Brazil’s national team at LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center on May 2, Reese’s mother took to social media with what many believe was a thinly veiled jab at Clark and Iowa.
“Aww, that certain fan base looking in the stands, celebrating “attendance” while others are looking up in the rafters, celebrating championship banners. We ain’t the same. Different year, same haters. Have a great day,” wrote Reese’s mother on X.
In her post, she emphasized the significance of winning championships, an indirect but clear reference to LSU’s 2023 NCAA title, something Iowa has yet to achieve.
As the WNBA season tips off, Reese, who averaged 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds last season, will be a central figure for the Sky. With her talent and fire, Chicago will be counting on her to make a serious impact.
There never was a rivalry. Something the media created. It was in fact, just a challenge for the ring