WNBA legend Candace Parker minced no words when addressing the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese altercation from their season opener. The heated exchange between the two sophomore stars continues to garner headlines to date, and Parker weighed in on the media narrative.
The Clark vs. Reese debate has seen mileage since the duo entered the WNBA. The media’s relentless coverage has only fueled the rivalry further, and Parker believed what started as pure competition has now seen unwarranted hype.
The first showdown between the two opened with the spotlight purely on the guard and the forward. Of course, the altercation just added more drama.
Candace Parker Gets Candid On Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese Rivalry
Speaking on “The Breakfast Club,” Parker addressed the rivalry between the two rising stars and chalked it up to intense competition.
“Caitlin-Angel rivalry, or whatever you want to call it, isn’t that just women being competitive?” she asked.
“I think it’s women being competitive, but honestly, I think that the more visibility you get, the more scrutiny you’ll get. Sometimes I think it’s overblown. … Sometimes I think that like you’re making a basketball play and then there are 15 angles from different cameras that try to you know make it something it’s not.”
She added that rivalries between players in the league often generate negative narratives. The incident between Clark and Reese during the first game escalated when the Chicago Sky forward and the team received abuse from the raucous Indiana Fever crowd at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The WNBA immediately launched an investigation into the incident, with Clark also supporting the move as the league, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association and both franchises issued statements condemning the abuse. In the end, there was no evidence of the claims with the league issuing the update.
READ MORE: Candace Parker Makes Feelings Known About WNBA’s Current State as Clark-Era Takes Over
On the season front, Clark and Reese have both seen tough runs so far. The Fever superstar has been sidelined with a quad injury, while the Sky are yet to gain any momentum in their season so far. They are 2-4 and 10th in the league, while the Fever has one more win to stay in seventh place. Much of Indiana’s fortunes depend on Clark’s return after a promising start to their season.
As for Parker, the WNBA icon recently released her memoir “The Can-Do Mindset.” After a decorated career where Parker finished as a three-time WNBA champion, WNBA Finals MVP, two-time regular-season MVP, and a seven-time All-Star, her memoir charts her journey on and off the court.
“Chicago Sky forward and the team received abuse from the raucous Indiana Fever crowd at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.”
This was investigated as you mentioned and found to have no credibility.