Over the past few weeks, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been a hot topic as they battle for the Rookie of the Year award. Following some news regarding the Chicago Sky forward, Clark shared her thoughts on her longtime rival.
On Saturday night, Reese announced on social media that she suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Ahead of the Fever’s game against the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, Clark was asked about Reese.
“It’s definitely sad anytime you see anyone go down with an injury, especially people that you came into this league with, whether it’s Cam [Brink], whether it’s Angel,” Clark said (h/t Sports Illustrated).
"... For me, getting to play against her, her motor is up there if not the best in the league, she just doesn’t stop working. Congratulations to her, I thought she had a tremendous year. ... So it’s definitely devastating, it’s never anything you want to see from a player."
Reese is now the second top pick from the 2024 WNBA draft to suffer a season-ending injury. The first was LA Sparks forward Cameron Brink.
Before getting hurt, Reese put up historic numbers with her rebounding. She became the first player in the league to have three straight games with 20 rebounds. Reese also set a new single-season record for rebounding as a rookie.
Reese missing these final games gives Caitlin Clark a clear runway to taking home ROTY. At the moment, she is attempting to keep the Fever's positive momentum rolling after clinching a playoff berth for the first time in nearly a decade.
Caitlin Clark falls just short of a triple-double in loss to Minnesota Lynx
Before Caitlin Clark shared her thoughts on the Angel Reese situation, she took the floor Friday night as the Fever took on the Minnesota Lynx. Despite another impressive outing from the rookie phenom, it was not enough to keep Indiana in the win column.
Since play resumed following the break for the Olympics, the Fever has been one of the hottest teams in the WNBA. However, their win streak ended after a 99-88 loss against Minnesota.
Clark did everything she could to keep her team in the win column, but it wasn't enough. In 36 minutes of action, she tallied 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Kelsey Mitchell (23 points) and Aliyah Boston (20 points) were notable standouts.
Even though they suffered a loss, the Fever are still sixth in the standings. They have a one-and-a-half-game lead over the Phoenix Mercury with roughly five games to go.
Clark and the Fever can quickly put their recent defeat behind them. They are slated to be back in action on Sunday, taking on the Atlanta Dream.