Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark's 'records will be smashed left and right' as WNBA legend clarifies her 'asterisk' statement

In a new episode of "A Touch More" that was released on Wednesday, retired WNBA star Sue Bird did a deep dive with her partner, former professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe, on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Bird took it as an opportunity to clarify her recent comments about Clark and Reese's ability to break records.

"That brings me from last week's pod that I want to clarify a little bit," Bird said. "I said 'asterisk,' when I was talking about records and them being broken given how many games. Asterisk for me in that moment wasn't a negative. So, I'm gonna rephrase it."

"There are players that are breaking records in less games than when those records were made. I was trying to separate Angel and Caitlin out of that, because they're it in less games... If the season gets to 44 [games] next year, if it gets to 50, 55, whatever it is, these records are gnna be smashed left and right."

Bird talked about it at the 14:45 mark in the video below.

Clark and Reese are currently the top rookies in the league. Both players have impressed fans with their on-court talent, breaking and shattering records, and this got them an All-Star nod in just their first season.

For Clark, she's now the rookie with the most assists in the league (306). She surpassed Ticha Penicheiro's rookie record of 225 — which she achieved in 1998. She is also on track to pass the all-time single season held by Courtney Vandersloot and Alyssa Thomas, who have 314 and 316 respectively.

Meanwhile, Reese is now the all-time rookie leader in total rebounds (446). Unfortunately, the Chicago Sky forward won't get to add more to her rookie record due to a season-ending wrist injury.

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WNBA commissioner explains why the league needs the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry

In an interview with CNBC two days ago, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that the rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is a good thing for the league. However, her explanation got her in hot water.

"It’s a little of that [Larry] Bird-Magic [Johnson] moment if you recall from 1979, when those two rookies came in from a big college rivalry, one white, one black," Engelbert said. "And so we have that moment with these two. But the one thing I know about sports, you need rivalry. That’s what makes people watch."

After Engelbert made comments that touched on race, the WNBPA released a statement from their Executive Director, Terri Jackson, who condemned Engelbert's interview.

Engelbert eventually went on X (formerly Twitter) to address the issue and to clarify her statement about the rivalry.