Cathy Engelbert’s plans for August were grand, but injuries exposed the flimsy narrative that was being built. The Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever game on the 9th was supposed to headline the freshly implemented ‘Rivals Week’ in the WNBA. Aside from the coveted Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese narrative, the W tried to revive old flames by pitting the Dream against the Mercury, and revived last year’s finals matchup with New York and Minnesota as well. We’re a couple of days into this week, and the response? It hasn’t been amazing.

Firstly, the main matchup ended up disappointing many. Both Clark and Reese were ruled out of Saturday’s game because of injuries, and the matchup ended up being lopsided in Indiana’s favor. On paper, it’s supposed to be the best of the best going up against each other, but honestly? It was more of the same that we’ve seen all season long. Chicago can’t hit threes, the Fever is running up and down the court, and the excitement just wasn’t there.

On The Women’s Hoops Show, hosts Jordan Robinson and Autumn Johnson broke down the lackluster start to this week. “The league announced this rivalry week at the beginning of the season and everyone was like, okay, is this just a way to put in the Fever and the Chicago Sky game not being by itself? So you just made up other rivalries to get in there?” Robinson questioned. “And then the Fever Chicago Sky happened, Caitlin’s not playing, Angel’s not playing, so it didn’t make any headlines. Were these rivalries, Autumn? I don’t know.”

And honestly? It makes a lot of sense. The only established rivalry in the league right now is Indiana vs Chicago. And even then, it’s more about their two star players—Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. The thing is, it’s hard to create rivalries in the WNBA. Rosters keep changing, players are waived, traded, and signed at a moment’s notice.

Even the WNBA players know about this, as Robinson and Johnson went on to discuss. “But I like how Natasha [Cloud] brought it like this is these are completely different squads when you look at the Lynx and Liberty and who they’ve um acquired during the off-season and how they’re playing now.” They said, agreeing with the Liberty star. “What we saw last year is completely different from what we’re seeing in this current moment.” 

And honestly? That’s the biggest problem this week. It’s not about the matchups, or the games, or anything else. Engelbert took a shot, and it missed. Fans don’t like it when the league tries to manufacture rivalries or force narratives down their throat. The odds were stacked against the WNBA for this rivals week because of the injuries to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. There’s no doubt that it would’ve been easier with CC on board. The Indiana Fever star is at the center of the W’s ongoing popularity boom, and even NBA legends are putting respect on her name!

Celtics legend shows appreciation for Caitlin Clark

The Caitlin Clark effect has taken over the basketball world by storm, and honestly? It hasn’t stopped there. From giant ad campaigns to superstar fans to her philanthropic efforts, Clark has been on America’s mind for the last two years. Her on-court performances have been nothing short of exemplary as well. Being a top-5 MVP candidate in your rookie year is a feat that very few can say that they’ve accomplished.

Of course, the Indiana Fever star doesn’t always get love. It’s pretty hard to get everyone on your side, and older players haven’t exactly been the most welcoming or forgiving when it comes to Caitlin Clark. Legends like Sheryl Swoopes are known for their distasteful views of the point guard, but it goes both ways!

Recently, NBA and Celtics legend Bob Cousy showed the Fever star a ton of love in a Boston Globe article. When asked about the WNBA, the ninety-seven-year-old NBA vet gave Clark her flowers. “It’s a saleable product and [Caitlin] Clark’s done a really good job selling it. It’s enjoyable. My son-in-law is from Indiana and he’s a Clark fan. She’s exceptional,” Cousy said. “She’s had a tremendous impact on that league and their earning potential. They should be kissing the ground she walks on, not trying to foul her and get her out of the game.”

It’s high praise coming from the six-time champ, and it lines up with what the other legends have to say about Clark as well. There’s no denying the Fever guard’s impact on the league, and we can’t wait to see what she will do next. Stay tuned for more information!