"It was not always appreciated in women's sports": Caitlin Clark gives unfiltered response to rivalry with Angel Reese

The second WNBA matchup between two star rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese lived up to the billing on Sunday. Clark's Indiana Fever outclassed Reese's Chicago Sky for the second straight time, winning the game 91-83 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse Arena in Indiana.

A new chapter was added to the fascinating rivalry between the two rookies, who have attracted a ton of attention since their battle in college days.

The competitive history between Clark and Reese has made the Fever vs Sky battle a mouthwatering clash. On Sunday, millions were glued to TV to watch the two first-year players in action as viewership soared to even greater heights.

After the win, Fever's Clark was directly asked about why her matchup against Reese drew significant attention from the hoops fans. The No.1 overall pick of the 2024 class provided a candid answer, shedding light on the emotion, passion and competitive spirit.

“I think it’s just the emotion and the passion that we play with. I think people love to see that and I think that’s maybe not something that was always appreciated in women’s sports and it should be," said Clark

Clark took a nasty hit on the head from Reese during Sunday's pulsating encounter and the latter was called for a flagrant foul. As social media burned with fans and pundits' opinions on Reese's play, Clark remained unfazed by the Sky rookie's foul and brushed it aside by saying "it's just a part of basketball."

"We’re competitors. That’s the way the game should be. It’s gonna get a little feisty, it’s gonna get a little physical, but at the end of the day, both teams are just trying to win."

"It’s been fun getting to compete against her. I think it’s been really good for the game. People just love seeing great matchups," she added.

Clark and Reese's performance on Sunday

Both Clark and Reese had a solid game on Sunday. The Fever rookie led her team from the front and filled the stat sheet with an all-round display.

The former IOWA superstar scored 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Clark led all Fever players in points while she also registered eight rebounds and nine assists.

Reese continued her hot double-double streak and stretched it to six consecutive games with 10+ points and 10+ rebounds. The Sky rookie scored 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field and grabbed 13 rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end.