WNBA rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese continued their storied rivalry in college basketball as the Chicago Sky forward took it to the next level after making a hard foul on the Indiana Fever’s guard. Reese hit Clark on her head from the back while the former Iowa Hawkeyes guard was driving to the lane and received a Flagrant 1 foul after a review. Fans and experts weighed in on the incident and shared their reactions on social media.
With over 2:50 remaining in the third quarter of the Fever’s 91-83 win over Sky, the No.1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft was fouled while driving to the basket. Reese took a full swing on Clark’s head from behind when the latter was going up for the layup. The Chicago Sky forward was called for a flagrant foul as she missed the ball, making contact with Clark’s head.
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After the referees called a flagrant 1 foul, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese both agreed it was nothing more than a basketball play. In a post-game interview, Reese said, “It was a basketball play. I can’t control the refs. They affected the game obviously a lot tonight.”
However, the No.7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft went on to mock the officials and the Fever with her “special whistle” comment. She said, “I think we went up really strong a lot of times, and we didn’t get a lot of calls. Going back and looking at the film, I’ve seen a lot of calls that weren’t made. I guess some people got a special whistle. But just being able to play hard as best as we can.”
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On the other hand, Caitlin Clark reflected on the foul and called it a “part of basketball,” as she said, “What’s going through my mind is, ‘I need to make these two free throws.’ That’s all I’m thinking about. Just a part of basketball. It is what it is. Just trying to make a play on the ball and get the block. It happens.”
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Angel Reese should be suspended: Matt Leinart reacts to foul on Caitlin Clark
Former Heisman Winner and USC QB Matt Leinart, an analyst for Fox Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff, claimed that the Chicago Sky forward should be banned despite Caitlin Clark being cool with the play. Leinart took to X and wrote, “Angel Reese should be suspended. Period. Not good for the game.”
Apart from him many fans flooded X with reactions to the incident and slammed Angel Reese for her “cheap” play. Check the viral reactions:
Since the 2023 NCAA championship game, Clark has been 3-0 against Reese as the Hawkeyes defeated the Tigers in the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament while the Indiana Fever won both their games against the Chicago Sky this season.