Getty Image / Cooper Neill
The 2024 WNBA rookie class is probably the most-hyped draft class in women’s hoops history. Obviously, the headliner is former Iowa guard Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, but the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese was quite the star in college at LSU, too.
Following their meeting in the national title game in 2023 and a subsequent matchup in the elite eight in 2024, with LSU winning the first matchup and Iowa the second, the careers of the two players will always be intertwined. That’s going to continue after Angel Reese took a shot at Caitlin Clark following the Sky’s huge upset win over the defending Eastern Conference Champions, the New York Liberty.
The Liberty had yet to lose this season, including two wins by a combined 47 points over the Indiana Fever. But, buoyed by Angel Reese’s 13 points and 9 rebounds, the Sky won, 90-81.
Angel Reese AND-1 dagger 🔥
Chicago Sky hand the Liberty their 1st loss of the season
(via @WNBA)pic.twitter.com/zJUROhiVHq
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 24, 2024
After the game, Angel Reese decided to take a now-deleted thinly veiled shot at Caitlin Clark via Twitter. Take a look.
The context is that many have credited Caitlin Clark’s popularity and her potential boost to the WNBA Media Deal that expires next season with the fact that the WNBA has committed to charter flights for all teams this year for the first time. While they’re not quite at the point yet where all teams are getting charter flights every game, that is something that will be resolved soon.
But, I think it’s fair to say that many WNBA players are taking issue with the narrative that the charter flights are all Caitlin Clark’s doing. Make no mistake, Clark’s record-setting popularity has something to do with it. But, they’d contend that the league was already growing in popularity pretty quickly before Clark’s arrival this season.
And, let’s face, Angel Reese loves to talk a little trash, as do so many of our favorite athletes, including Caitlin Clark. I’m sure that her teammates loved the post, which is ultimately what matters.
The Sky improve to 2-1. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark and the Fever are winless at 0-5. The two rivals will square off next Saturday, June 1, in Indianapolis.