Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark are two of the most exciting rookies in the WNBA this season. In one of the most anticipated regular season matchups, Reese was assessed a flagrant one for her hard foul on Clark.
Upon replay, the Sky rookie was aiming for a block over the Fever guard's shot but ended up hitting her head in the process. The incident resulted in strong reactions from the fans.
The foul occurred with just 2:53 minutes to go in the third quarter as Clark went strong to the cup for a layup. Interestingly, the matchup between the two rookies stems back from their 2023 NCAA women's championship game. Reese famously imitated wrestler John Cena's "You Can't See Me" hand gesture as her LSU squad won over Clark's Iowa team.
It was a moment that showcased Reese doing the same thing that Clark did toward opponents she's defeated. The Sky forward's flagrant foul video was shared on X, and fans joined in on the discussion surrounding the foul.
"The Ron Artest of the WNBA?"
Meanwhile, a fan associated Angel Reese with Draymond Green.
"She's in her Draymond Green bag," the fan posted.
A fan felt Reese's hard foul warranted a ban from the WNBA.
"Flagrant 2, eject new now! I'd personally ban that disgusting Draymond from playing in the WNBA ever again," the fan posted.
Additionally, a fan questioned the Sky rookie's jealousy over Caitlin Clark.
"Why is she so jealous of her man," the fan posted.
Moreover, a fan highlighted how Clark's teammates didn't come in between her and Angel Reese.
"How do no teammates defend her after this s***," the fan posted.
Be that as it may, this moment will only continue to add to the history between Reese and Clark as they make their marks in the WNBA.
Angel Reese talked about her "bad guy role" in the WNBA
Angel Reese has made a strong impression so far in her rookie campaign. However, she provided an interesting perspective on having a reputation where she is viewed as the "bad guy" in the league.
It all started from the national championship game and I've been dealing with this for two years now," Reese said, via WGN9 News. "Understanding, yeah, negative things have probably been said about me, but honestly, look where women's basketball is? People are talking about women's basketball that you never would think would talk about women's basketball. ..."
"Just looking at that, I'll take that role. I'll take the bad guy role. I'll continue to take that on for my teammates."
Not every professional basketball player, more so a rookie, would be open to accepting a villain-like reputation in the WNBA. However, Reese considers it an opportunity to drive the league further in the right direction when it comes to the kind of coverage gained.