Tempers flared following a third-quarter push from Clark against a driving Reese in the Fever’s win

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Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark’s third career triple-double during Saturday’s season-opening win over Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky was somewhat overshadowed by a third-quarter flagrant foul that led to an immediate separation between the players.

Clark chopped Reese’s arm on a driving layup attempt to block her path to the basket at the 4:38 mark, pushing her to the floor. Reese immediately leaped to her feet, began screaming at Clark and Indiana’s Aliyah Boston stepped in between the two while tempers flared.

Clark’s foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1 upon video review. Reese and Clark were asked about the foul in the aftermath, the latest chapter in the pair’s longstanding rivalry.

“Basketball play. Refs got it right. Move on,” Reese said before dismissing a follow-up question about the play.

Clark, who finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while blocking a career-high four shots, was a bit more descriptive in her assessment.

“It’s just a good take foul. Either Angel gets (a) wide-open two points or we send them to the free throw line,” Clark told ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “Nothing malicious about it. Every basketball player knows that.”

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Reese has previously dismissed the rivalry narrative with Clark, but interrupted a reporter’s question this week that centered around the Fever’s top player and the growing popularity. Previewing the Sky’s season, Reese was asked about her statement last summer centered around the WNBA having more than one marketable star, but the reporter wasn’t able to finish his statement.

“Next question,” Reese said during the press conference.

The rivalry between the two superstars, who were both top picks in last year’s WNBA Draft, began after Reese taunted Clark and the Hawkeyes with WWE star John Cena “You Can’t See Me” gesture, which drew national media ire during a previous NCAA Tournament and led to immediate questions about the move in the postgame fallout.

“It all started from the national championship game and I’ve been dealing with this for two years now,” Reese said, via WGN9 News, in June 2024. “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. People are pulling up to games, we’ve got celebrities are coming to games, sold-out arenas.”

Reese said last season the on-court rivalry is merely a creation and suggests the ferocity shown between the two players is simply due to competition.

“For me, I don’t think people realize it’s not personal,” Reese said previously. “I think people just take it like we hate each other. Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It’s just a super competitive game. I just wish people would realize that. Once I get between those lines, there’s no friends.

“We’re not buddies. I’m going to talk trash to you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game we can kick it. I don’t think people really realize that.”