Caitlin Clark said she doesn't understand talk of a bitter rivalry between her and Angel Reese after the 2023 NCAA Women's Championship Game.
Before Clark was selected No. 1 overall by the Fever and Reese was selected No. 7 overall by the Sky in April's WNBA Draft, they were well known at the college level — and Reese's Tigers. They played against each other when the Tigers defeated the Clarks. The 2023 title game is against the Hawkeyes.
“I don't understand that at all.” Clark, 22, said: In an interview as TIME's 2024 Athlete of the Year, he reflected on the situation and said: “We're not best friends by any means, but we have a lot of respect for each other.
“Yes, we have had a great fight. But when did I protect her? And when did she protect me?”
Clark made light of Reese waving when Reese made the “I can't see you” gesture in Clark's face before LSU's 102-85 win over Iowa State last April.
“I didn't think it was a mockery,” Clark said. “It really didn't bother me. It's like, 'Why don't we talk about them winning?' Or did he have an incredible run that no one could have imagined?'' The only thing people were interested in was this controversy that was actually made up and fabricated, and It's been that way ever since. ”
Clark, who this year became the NCAA's all-time leading scorer for men and women in Division I, has previously defended Reese, who faced backlash for his actions and was called, among other things, “disgraceful.”
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Clark and Reese claimed their relationship was competitive on the court and nothing personal.
They are the only two rookies selected to play in the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix, where they will play on the same team for the first time.
Whether they consider it a rivalry or not, Reese and Clark's star power helped them break attendance and viewership records.
In 2024, the WNBA had its most-watched season in history. The league then took the following steps: $50 million We plan to provide full-time charter flight services to our team over the next two years.
Clark called the past year a historic year.
“We were able to attract a lot of people who had never even watched women's sports, let alone women's basketball, and turn them into fans,” she told Time magazine.
Clark was noncommittal when asked if he was interested in playing in Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 league founded by the Liberty's Brianna Stewart and the Lynx's Napheesa Collier.
“I want to stay out of the spotlight,” she said.
“Personally, I'm just scratching the surface of what I can do, and I'm thinking about how I can hopefully change the world and impact people. I also think that people who aren't involved in women's sports There are also a lot of people who just work or whatever they do and say, “Thank you for your work on behalf of women.'' I've heard it a million times. ”
Time will announce its Icon of the Year selection on Wednesday, followed by Time's annual Person of the Year selection on Thursday.
