Since their college days and into the start of their WNBA careers, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have constantly been pitted against each other by fans and the media. But according to one WNBA insider, that narrative may be running out of steam.
Rachel DeMita, former basketball player and media personality, believes that the Clark-Reese rivalry may have already peaked and fizzled out.
“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…I think now at this point, they are both becoming their own,” DeMita said in a video on her YouTube channel. (Timestamp: 5:39)
DeMita went on to say that while the hype surrounding their matchups will still exist, both stars will begin to find new and more natural rivals in their second year in the league.
“Caitlin Clark is going to have new rivals, and Angel Reese will have her own new rivals. I think that rivalry, it’s dead. I see more rivalries coming with Caitlin Clark when it comes to the MVP discussion because her name is going to be in that mix, and it’s going to be in that mix fast. I see with Angel Reese more rivalries coming with other post players, her actual position, where that makes sense for her,” she added.
Statistically, Clark had the edge in their rookie season, winning Rookie of the Year with averages of 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. Reese, meanwhile, posted a solid 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. Both were named All-Stars, but only Clark managed to push her team—the Indiana Fever—into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Reese’s promising rookie year with the Chicago Sky was unfortunately cut short due to a wrist injury.
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Caitlin Clark opens up on relationship with rival Angel Reese
In a TIME Magazine feature, Clark addressed the so-called rivalry and her dynamic with Reese: “We’re not best friends, by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another.”
Fans may want drama, but Clark and Reese seem more focused on building their own legacies. And as their sophomore season tips off, they’ll look to lead their teams not into rivalries, but into championship contention.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through [email protected]. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
