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Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are two of the biggest stars in the WNBA. They have been linked since they both started their pro careers in 2024. The 2025 season kicked off last week and Clark's Indiana Fever played Reese's Chicago Sky in the season opener on Saturday, winning 93-58.
However, the biggest story coming out of the game was not the lopsided score. Instead, it was a flagrant foul call against Caitlin Clark for shoving Angel Reese to the floor during the third quarter.
On Thursday, South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley appeared on "The Breakfast Club." On the show, she gave her opinion on officiating and the incident between Clark and Reese.
"I think the officiating has a hard job," Staley said. "To decipher whether that's a flagrant or not, hard job. I do think they understand the dynamics of Angel and Caitlin. I think it's great for our game. It's a sport. Treat us like a sport. Don't treat us anything other than being a sport. It happens in every sport, soccer, basketball, football, it happens in every sport. So, let it be."
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Staley continued her point, talking about how she hopes that fans who became fans of women's basketball because of Caitlin Clark become fans of the WNBA as a whole.
"I think it pulls people in. I do think there are new fans who haven't watched our game who really don't know," Staley said. "So, they're only singularly focused on Caitlin. If your that and that's their idol. That's who attracts them but I just hope they'll open their eyes to the rest of the talent that is there. The product is incredible and it's in high demand."
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will face off again in early June
This incident between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has caused quite a stir in the basketball world. While opinions are split on whether Clark's actions deserved to be called for a flagrant foul, most fans will agree they are excited for the next game between the two players.
Fans will not need to wait long for the rematch. The Chicago Sky will host the Indiana Fever in a rematch of the season opener on June 7 at 8 p.m. ET. It will be interesting to see if the Sky can be more competitive after the season opener, where they were dominated by the Fever.
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