It is laborious to speak about Caitlin Clark with out mentioning Angel Reese.
Clark would not perceive why.
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She would not perceive why everybody has painted Reese as her rival.
Nor does she view Reese in that gentle.
Introduced as TIME’s 2024 Athlete of the Yr, Clark opened up about her relationship with Reese and explains why she would not think about Reese her rival.
“I do not get that in any respect,” Clark mentioned.
“We’re not finest pals, by any means, however we’re very respectful of each other.
“Sure, we’ve had great battles. However when have I ever guarded her? And when has she guarded me.”
After all the ‘rivalry’, goes all the best way again to 2023, when Reese and LSU beat Clark and Iowa within the NCAA nationwide championship recreation and Reese taunted Clark by pointing at her ring finger.
Since that second, everybody has been making an attempt to pit these two famous person lady in opposition to each other. Clark even downplayed Reese’s unique gesture, and questioned why that was the principle takeaway from that day.
“I did not suppose it was taunting,” Clark mentioned. “It did not actually trouble me.
“It is similar to ‘Why do not you discuss them profitable? Or the unimaginable run that we went on that no one would have thought we might have ever gone on?’
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“The one factor individuals cared about was this controversy that was actually fabricated and made up, and that that has continued to be the case ever since.”
Clark is not unsuitable.
Since that second, everybody has been making an attempt to pit these two younger athletes in opposition to each other.
Each Clark and Reese had been chosen within the high ten of the WNBA draft.
Clark went first general to the Indiana Fever, the place she gained Rookie of the Yr, help chief of the complete league, was an All-Star and made First Group All-WNBA.
Reese went seventh general to the Chicago Sky, the place was an All-Star and rebounding chief of the complete league.
Each rookies made the All-Rookie staff as effectively.
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Their careers will endlessly be intertwined.
And extra seemingly than not, will endlessly be painted as rivals, even when Clark disagrees with that sentiment.
Reese herself has been complimentary in direction of Clark up to now as effectively, even hinting to a doable team-up within the close to future.
“She’s nice to play with,” Reese mentioned after sharing the court docket as teammates on the WNBA All-Star recreation.
“Hopefully in 4 years, we’ll be Olympians collectively.”
The 2 have a whole lot of respect in direction of each other, that a lot is clear.
However as at all times on the earth of sports activities, that is not as fascinating as portray them as bitter rivals.
Sadly for Clark and Reese, that is the narrative that sells.