NBA Legend’s Angel Reese Endorsement Falls Flat, As Latest Stat Further Proves Caitlin Clark’s Dominance

When Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese met during the season opener this year, the Fever star once again proved why she is miles ahead of Reese. The 2024 ROTY recorded a triple-double in a landslide 35-point victory against Reese’s Sky. This game was enough to end the Clark vs Reese debate once and for all, until the Fever’s guard reignited the debate with her honest admission. “Rivalry is great for sport. Like, I understand that. Rivalry is always a big thing, so I think it’s more than anything,” Clark said earlier this season.

Considering Clark and Reese, both are 23, there is a lot of basketball left in their career, so it’s far too soon to write definitive narratives about either. Sure, Clark came out on top again when the Fever faced the Sky on May 17, but that has not dimmed the spotlight on Reese, especially with NBA icon Allen Iverson in her corner. “I love everything about her,” he says of the Chicago Sky star just ahead of her game against the Fever. “I love what she stands for. She reminds me of my little sister. She’s dope to me. She reminds me of myself, hoop-wise and on a personal level, too.”

Well, Iverson’s praise carries weight because of his own legacy as a fearless, undersized competitor who thrived on grit, qualities he sees in Reese. But her performance against the Fever didn’t live up to that hype, highlighting the pressure she faces to match her intangibles with consistent results, especially when compared to Clark’s standout play.

Reese failed to justify this endorsement as she dropped arguably her worst performance of this season so far. She managed just 4 points, alongside 12 rebounds and 2 assists, while committing 3 turnovers. Despite being a central figure for the Sky, Reese has struggled to make a significant impact, averaging only 9.1 points and 2.6 assists per game. Per Basketball Reference, she’s shooting an abysmal 28.9% on shots from zero to three feet. Her rebounding remains the lone bright spot, but a one-dimensional approach won’t cut it if she hopes to thrive in the WNBA.

To make matters worse, nearly every Chicago Sky game this season has featured at least one viral clip of Reese missing a routine layup. This repeated lack of execution on fundamental plays is becoming a growing concern for fans. With no outside shooting threat and a field goal percentage stuck at 30.9%, Reese risks falling further behind her peers, especially Caitlin Clark. 

Clark has carried over her stellar form from last season, averaging 19 points and 9.3 assists per game before being sidelined by injury. Meanwhile, Angel Reese’s stock has taken a hit, and a newly surfaced stat comparison between the two only widens the gap. Among the highly anticipated 2024 draft class, Caitlin Clark leads all scorers with a staggering 845 points. Reese, in contrast, sits at 526, with Rickea Jackson in second place at 566.

The numbers speak volumes about the gulf in offensive output. While Reese holds a clear edge on the boards, grabbing 532 total rebounds to Clark’s 252, that is the only category where she leads. In head-to-head matchups, Clark is up 4 to 1. Assists? Clark dominates with 8.5 per game as opposed to Reese’s 2. Three-point shooting? Again, it is all Clark. 

This growing disparity has become even more glaring in the wake of Allen Iverson’s high-profile endorsement of Reese. While Iverson praised her grit and hustle, the numbers paint a different picture, one that puts Clark far ahead in terms of all-around impact. Reese may bring toughness and rebounding, but if she wants to live up to Iverson’s backing and be in the same conversation as Clark, she has a lot of ground to cover, especially in terms of scoring, efficiency, and versatility. 

WNBA legend Candace Parker dismisses Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark comparisons

As the two standout players from the 2024 draft class, and with their rivalry dating back to college, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark were always bound to dominate the conversation. However, two-time MVP Candace Parker has dismissed the merit of any direct comparisons between the two, emphasizing that their games, roles, and trajectories are entirely different.

“I just think that it’s like comparing apples and oranges, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. It’s like, what are we doing?” Parker said on the “Spolitics with Jemele Hill” podcast. 

She further focused on the fact that the two don’t play the same position, saying, “They like doing the Magic [Johnson] and the Larry [Bird] comparison. Well, they played similar positions, like Bird wasn’t a point guard, but he played the guard position, like they at least kind of match up. Like, what are we doing? So, I’m not falling into that. I’m not into the comparison.”

There is certainly no merit in a direct comparison between the two. Caitlin Clark is a floor-general point guard who controls the tempo of the game with her vision and shooting, while Angel Reese thrives in the paint, using her physicality and size to dominate the boards. Their skill sets, roles, and impact areas are fundamentally different. The comparisons took off after Reese’s infamous “You can’t see me” gesture during the 2023 NCAA finals, where she led LSU to a victory over Clark’s Iowa. That moment ignited the rivalry, but it was rooted more in narrative than in basketball similarities.

Reese herself leaned into the rivalry, which has since evolved into a fan-driven clash, with supporters of both players exchanging constant jabs. This is less about on-court competition and more about personal rivalry, fueled by social media and storyline drama, rather than a genuine basketball comparison. Both players are unique in themselves, but unless they resolve this personal enmity, the comparisons will continue.