A couple of days after her Iowa Hawkeyes lost the championship game, Caitlin Clark commented on the discourse surrounding Angel Reese’s on-court taunts. “I don’t think Angel should be criticized at all,” Clark told ESPN on April 4, 2023. The John Wooden Award winner thought Reese’s actions were just part of the game. “I think everybody knew there was gonna be a little trash talk in the entire tournament,” Clark added. “It’s not just me and Angel.” She also put to rest any notion of beef between the two female basketball stars. “I’m a big fan of hers,” Clark said about Reese.
The following month, Reese spoke about how disappointing it was to see the exchange between her and Clark overshadow Louisiana State University’s victory. “It was frustrating,” she said while appearing on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” in May 2023 alongside two teammates. “I know one day we’re going down in the history books, so it’s bigger than me,” she added while mentioning that nearly 10 million people tuned in to watch the two teams face off.
Reese and Clark were not simply downplaying any perceived beef, as there was actual admiration between the star athletes. “I love Caitlin; we’ve been competing since we were in AAU,” Reese told reporters on October 6, 2023, as the LSU Tigers prepared for the season. “One day, hopefully, we could even be teammates,” she added. The two players were at the center of more controversy, which involved the First Lady.
