June 1, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will square off for the first time in the WNBA. Initially, the game between Clark’s Indiana Fever and Reese’s Chicago Sky would be on NBA TV, meaning ESPN missed out on the rematch between the former Iowa and LSU stars.
That is no longer the case.
The game is moving from NBA TV to ESPN, tipping off at noon ET. That means ESPN will get to show the first professional showdown between Clark and Reese after two high-profile matchups in the NCAA Tournament. Given the viewership surge the duo helped build at the college level, it could turn into a major win for ESPN.
The matchup is one of four between the Sky and Fever this season, but is currently the only one set to be broadcast on ESPN.
Iowa and LSU first squared off in the 2023 national championship as Reese and the Tigers came away with their first-ever title, defeating Clark and the Hawkeyes 102-85. Reese finished the game with 15 points, 10 rebounds and three steals while Clark had 30 points to go with eight assists.
In the second go-round this past season, Iowa drew LSU in the Elite Eight. This time, Clark came out on top, leading the Hawkeyes to a 94-87 victory with a monster 41-point, 12-assist performance. Reese played through an injury for the Tigers and still finished with 17 points and a game-high 20 rebounds.
Iowa then ended up making it to the national championship, which ended with a loss to South Carolina. That meant Clark and Reese got ready for the WNBA Draft, where they went No. 1 and No. 7, respectively. But they left their mark on the college game with their rivalry, especially considering their rematch drew a then-record 12.3 million viewers.
The Iowa-LSU rivalry was one of the biggest storylines in college basketball, but the two stars made their respect for one another quite clear. In fact, ahead of the second matchup, Clark said it’s because the two are very competitive, and she shared her excitement to take the matchup to the next level.
“Me and Angel have always been great competitors,” Clark said. “Obviously, she played in the Big Ten for a while to begin her career and that’s what makes women’s basketball so fun. You have great competition and that’s what we’ve had all year long. But I think Angel would say the same, it’s not just us in women’s basketball. That’s not the only competitive thing about where our game is at and that’s what makes it so good. We need multiple people to be really good.
“I think both of our careers, whether she decides to stay or to go, we’ll have great careers in the WNBA and that’s been both of our dreams all along. So I think we’re both excited for that as well.”
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