‘World peace’ lasted exactly one day. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese fans came together after their stomping 110-46 as Reese and Clark were spotted arguing with the referees on the same play. Reese and Paige Bueckers also helped Clark up after she was fouled. It sparked murmurs across social media that their rivalry was trending toward an end. And yet, immediately in the next game, the fans think they saw Clark and Reese ignoring each other. 

Team USA faced Puerto Rico and, as expected, dominated throughout. Bueckers led all scorers with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting, and Kelsey Plum added 12 points. Clark had 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Reese had 10 points and 13 rebounds in the 91-48 win. The moment spelling trouble came in the second quarter, with 4:52 left, was when Clark left Angel Reese hanging. 

As Team USA players took their places during substitutions, Clark greeted several teammates as she headed to her position. The Indiana Fever star dapped up Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Monique Billings as the group crossed paths on the court. 

Reese was less than a step away. The forward held out her hand for a dap up. However, Clark completely left her hanging and looked ahead instead. The brief moment lasted only a second, yet it was enough for fans watching closely to start debating whether it was intentional or simply missed in the flow of the game.

WNBA Community Divided On Rivalry Moment With Angel Reese And Caitlin Clark

“Can you blame her? Angel won’t even let CC play her own position,” a fan wrote. What the fan is referring to is another moment between Reese and Clark when both went for a defensive rebound between the two. Reese got there first. She took the ball up the court and made a long pass under the basket, but it was off target and led to a turnover. Many think Reese should have given it up for Clark since she is the point guard. Beyond their on-court dynamic, another fan pointed out the difference in perception. 

Well, this applies to both Clark and Reese, who have been in the spotlight for years now. Each move is tracked. Even a minor infraction or irregularity is treated beyond its norm. This is the price they pay for being the most popular athletes in the league. Millions of fans means the same proportion of ‘haters.’ However, not everybody thinks Clark disrespected Reese here. 

“This narrative is so boring lol she was just high-fiving everyone that was checking out of the game,” wrote a fan. A singular moment in a game could easily be misrepresented. Generally, players don’t greet everyone on the court, and often it’s only the players who are substituted. It’s very possible that Clark did the same.

“She was already locked in on the next play. Y’all are reaching with this one. They’re winning together,” wrote a fan. “She lowkey just didn’t see her,” commented another. There is a group of fans tired of this rivalry, especially when there is little evidence that anything of note happened. Apart from this, Caitlin Clark and Reese have been nothing but cordial as teammates for Team USA so far. Maybe when they return to their franchises, it will turn back on. There is no doubt that they have a rivalry, but at Team USA, both are on the same team with the same goals. It’s unlikely they will let their past tension come between them and will look to succeed with the national team.