For years, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have been pitted against each other as enemies. Ahead of their second seasons in the WNBA, the tension has developed into a Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever rivalry.

The outspoken Reese has primarily driven the narrative between the two, culminating with her viral statement that she is just as much of a driving force behind the WNBA's popularity increase as Clark is. One year later, Reese was asked if she still believed in that sentiment, but shut the question down before it could even be finished.

“Next question,” Reese said before the reporter finished his question.

 

Despite her shutdown, Reese's statement is objectively true. She has quickly become one of the stars in women's sports and has notably raised the Sky's public intrigue. However, when it comes to ticket sales and viewership, nobody is on Clark's level.

Regardless, Reese maximized her 2024-2025 offseason to continue building her brand. In addition to starting the popular “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, Reese remained in the spotlight by participating in the Unrivaled League and maintaining her presence on social media.

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Sky's Angel Reese, Fever's Caitlin Clark rivalry continues in 2025

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) walks by Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) during the second half.
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The competitive tension between Clark and Reese led to the Fever and Sky matching up in the league's inaugural ‘Rivals Week.' The week-long event featuring some of the most heated head-to-head matchups will go down in August.

With just one state separating them, Clark and Reese are now geographic rivals in the WNBA. However, their parallel careers go beyond their time in the league. The rivalry first gained mainstream attention when Reese's LSU squad topped Clark's Iowa team in the 2023 National Championship Game. A viral interaction between the two sparked online controversy, beginning the so-called bad blood between the two.

The Clark-Reese rivalry should reach a new high during Rivals Week, should the seasons go as planned for their respective teams. Both the Sky and Fever added new firepower in the offseason to build around their young stars.