Clark and Reese’s Heated WNBA Opener Clash Sparks Chicago Sky Star’s Restraint Drama
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese Clash in Fiery WNBA Season Opener
By Oliver Salt and AP | May 17, 2025
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese wasted no time reigniting their fierce rivalry during the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever’s WNBA season opener. The tension exploded midway through the third quarter when Clark fouled Reese during a heated play, sparking a confrontation that electrified fans.
With 4:38 left in the third quarter, Reese grabbed an offensive rebound, only for Clark to swipe at her arm, sending the Sky forward crashing to the floor. Reese sprang up angrily, confronting Clark before Fever center Aliyah Boston stepped between them. Officials upgraded Clark’s foul to a flagrant one and issued double technical fouls to Boston and Reese.
[Insert Image: Clark and Reese face off mid-game, with caption: Tempers flared as Reese confronted Clark after a hard foul.]
Clark downplayed the incident post-game, calling it a “basketball play” during an ESPN interview. “Nothing malicious about it. Either Angel gets a wide-open bucket, or we send her to the line,” said the reigning Rookie of the Year. Reese missed her first free throw, drawing cheers from the Fever crowd, but sank the second to help cut Indiana’s lead to 56-45.
The Fever dominated overall, cruising to a historic 93-58 victory—their largest opening win ever. Clark notched her third career triple-double, tallying 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Indiana’s Aliyah Boston added 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Chicago’s Reese finished with 17 rebounds and 12 points in the loss.
[Insert Image: Reese on the floor after the foul, caption: Reese’s 17 rebounds weren’t enough to lift the Sky past Indiana.]
The game also saw DeWanna Bonner (7 points) climb to third on the WNBA’s all-time scoring list (7,289 points), surpassing Tina Thompson.
This clash sets the stage for a thrilling season-long duel between Clark and Reese, whose college rivalry at Iowa and LSU now fuels their WNBA battles. Fans can expect fireworks when these teams meet again on June 16.
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