At the height of it, the Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry was one of the fiercest in basketball. While the debate surrounding the two stars has certainly cooled compared to what it once was, it has never truly gone away. And one major reason for that is that a section of fans has simply refused to let it die down. WNBA analyst Trysta Krick believes that’s exactly the problem, arguing that it is unfair to both players. 

“If you talk about Angel, somehow fans are talking about Caitlin,” Krick said while speaking on Monday’s episode of Yahoo Sports Daily. “Those players don’t play on the same team. They rarely play against one another.

“It’s a moment that happened in time in college that now has inextricably linked them. And it’s unfair. I really don’t know why we got there other than the fact that both of them together created this iconic moment that really excited and electrified fans.”

As Krick said, it has become characteristic of some fans to always put these two players in the same conversation and hold them to the same standard. If one player is criticized for a particular action, there is an expectation that the same criticism should be directed at the other for a similar action. And if one is praised for something, that same level of praise should be extended to the other.

The way Krick sees it, fans have simply refused to move on from the rivalry. They successfully carried it over from their college days to the WNBA. First with the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, and now with Angel Reese playing for the Atlanta Dream. 

But then, even though the rivalry is not as intense as it once was, it still plays out on the court. For example, during their June 20 matchup, Reese aggressively swiped at the ball and trash-talked Clark following a foul. Clark responded by waving Reese off. A game before that, Reese had also mocked Clark over a perceived flop. Those moments quickly became talking points, with fans once again framing them through the lens of their long-running rivalry.

The reality, however, is that these kinds of interactions could take place between any other two players in the league and would barely attract the same attention. But when it’s Clark and Reese, every gesture is magnified. 

That’s simply the nature of sports rivalries.

Is the Angel-Reese Caitlin Clark rivalry really dead?

The Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry might not be as intense as it once was, but it’s certainly not dead. One reason for that is exactly what WNBA analyst Trysta Krick pointed out. Many fans have simply refused to let it go.

And it’s unlikely they will anytime soon because that’s the nature of sports rivalries. They thrive on lingering grudges and memorable moments. And so, every time Reese and Clark share the court, fans revisit the old storylines, look for scores to settle, and create new moments to add to the rivalry, however flimsy they may be.

Another reason is the fact that there is still a degree of on-court friction between the two players. It showed during their most recent encounter. So, unless both players reconcile and begin to publicly display a much friendlier relationship toward each other, fans will likely continue to interpret these moments through the lens of their rivalry.

Also, alongside fans, the media continues to feed into the rivalry even beyond the court. For example, the simultaneous debut of their respective signature shoes has been portrayed as another chapter in the Reese-Clark narrative. 

But at the end of the day, rivalry is not a bad thing. If anything, it is actually good for sport.