For a while, Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese felt like the biggest rivalry in women’s basketball.
But is it still?
I think the answer is yes — just in a different way.
The rivalry started well before the WNBA. Reese’s LSU beat Clark and Iowa for the 2023 national championship, Clark got revenge in the 2024 Elite Eight, and their battles immediately carried into the WNBA.
Now they’re on different teams than when they entered the league, with Reese joining the Atlanta Dream, but the attention hasn’t disappeared.
People Still Care
This is the biggest reason I still consider it a rivalry.
Whenever Clark and Reese play each other, people watch.
Their June 18 Dream-Fever matchup averaged 816,000 viewers on Prime Video, setting a WNBA record for the platform at the time.
And basically any interaction between them becomes a story.
Reese mocking Clark after a foul call went viral earlier this season. Another exchange between them two days later immediately became a talking point. Then Clark’s reaction after Reese missed a potential game-winner in August blew up online.
That’s a rivalry.
But It’s Never Really Been Personal
The funny part is that Clark and Reese have repeatedly pushed back against the idea that they hate each other.
Reese has previously talked about knowing Clark since their AAU days and has praised her as a player and person.
A lot of the hatred surrounding this rivalry comes from fans and social media rather than the two players themselves.
That doesn’t make the rivalry fake.
Rivalries don’t require two people to hate each other.
The Basketball Is Still Competitive
Clark has the advantage in their WNBA meetings, with her teams going 6-3 when both players have played.
But Reese’s teams went 4-1 against Clark in college, meaning both have had their moments in this matchup.
And their games still produce drama.
The Fever and Dream went to overtime in August, with Indiana escaping 95-91 after Reese missed an opportunity to win it at the end of regulation.
That’s exactly what you want from a rivalry.
So no, Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese isn’t what it was in 2023 or 2024.
They aren’t competing for a national championship or Rookie of the Year anymore.
They’re established WNBA stars trying to win with their own franchises.
But every time the Fever and Dream play, everyone still waits for that Clark-Reese moment.
As long as that’s happening, the rivalry isn’t going anywhere.
