Caitlin Clark won. Again.
But Angel Reese of the WNBA's Chicago Sky made her way into the story of the Clark's Indiana Fever defeating by whacking Clark upside the head while allegedly trying to block a shot.
The 91-83 final score marked the second straight game between the two teams where Clark took a beating and the Fever beat the Sky.
“Just a part of basketball," Clark said after the game, according to the Indianapolis Star. "It is what it is. Trying to make a play on the ball, get the block. It happens.”
Video posted to X shows Reese -- who became infamous for taunting Clark in an NCAA final in 2022 as her LSU team defeated Clark’s Iowa squad -- coming nowhere near the ball in a swing that connected with Clark’s head, sending Clark to the floor.
Caitlin Clark is fouled while driving to the basket pic.twitter.com/U9TvoFUoD3
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 16, 2024
It was not the first time Reese has crossed a line against Clark, whose Iowa team this year defeated Reese and LSU out of the NCAA tournament Final Four. In a June 1 game when Chicago Sky teammate Chennedy Carter shoulder-butted Clark to the floor, Reese was up off the bench cheering.
Reese's play Sunday was roundly condemned online.
“WNBA player Angel Reese viciously elbows Caitlin Clark in the head as she goes in for a layup. Reese could be seen completely missing the ball and making contact with Clark's head instead. She was called for a flagrant 1,” conservative commentator Colin Rugg posted on X.
“The move comes as more and more WNBA players are becoming jealous of Clark's fame. During a previous matchup between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever, Reese was seen celebrating after Clark got cheap shotted by Chennedy Carter,” he wrote.
JUST IN: WNBA player Angel Reese viciously elbows Caitlin Clark in the head as she goes in for a layup.
Reese could be seen completely missing the ball and making contact with Clark's head instead.
She was called for a flagrant 1.
The move comes as more and more WNBA players… pic.twitter.com/VOmjloMTRX
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 16, 2024
And it wasn't just Reese who was targeting Clark.
“Chicago Sky doing Chicago Sky stuff,” sports commentator Dave Portnoy posted on X in a shot of Clark being roughed up by two Sky players as she drove to the basket on another play.
This time, the New York Post noted, Fever guard Kristy Wallace stalked toward the Chicago players as if standing up for Clark.
Chicago Sky doing Chicago Sky stuff pic.twitter.com/0OVDYtulxV
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 16, 2024
Carter’s hit on Clark in the June 1 game brought to a boil the simmering anger that WNBA players seemed to be bent on whacking Clark around. So far, Clark has vented now and then about the hits, but never retaliated.
Women's basketball legend Nancy Lieberman said after the Carter cheap shot that she would have taken a more direct approach to the bullying, according to The Arizona Republic.
"If I were Caitlin Clark, I would’ve punched her in the face,'' Lieberman said. "But I'm from New York and I would've told her to (expletive) off."
"And that would actually cure the problem because I've known Chennedy since she was here in high school here in Dallas. She's a tough kid. She's a really good basketball player. She's gonna come after you because she's very physical, which is OK. But damn, where's Caitlin Clark's teammates?" she said.
