Arike Ogunbowale on the “rivalry” between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese
Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale explains why it was the media that started the so-called beef between WNBA rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Sport in Seriousness
This has now become the most common occurrence in her rookie season: Caitlin Clark broke another record on Sunday during the Indiana Fever’s game against the Dallas Wings.
Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, became the all-time leading rookie with—what else?—a deep 3 with 2:51 left in the third quarter, surpassing former Minnesota Lynx star Seimone Augustus, the No. 1 pick in 2006. Augustus scored 744 points this season and was named Rookie of the Year; Clark now has 745 points (and counting) with one regular-season game left.
Clark entered Sunday’s game as the best rookie in WNBA history (19.1 points) and the league’s leading player in assists per game (8.5). She has also made more 3s (118) than anyone else this season. In July, she became the first rookie in WNBA history to record a triple-double; she now has two in her professional career. She also set a league record for most assists in a game (19) earlier this season and broke the rookie record for most assists in a season.
After a record-breaking college career at Iowa, Clark has more than lived up to the pressure and hype that was created around her when she entered the league and has already helped Indiana secure a playoff berth for the first time since 2016. She is the clear favorite to win Rookie of the Year and will likely beat out her biggest rival, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, who has set WNBA rebounding records all season but has missed the last few games with a wrist injury.
The two have generated unprecedented interest in the WNBA’s 28th season and could help the players’ association fight for a significant salary increase in the next collective bargaining agreement.
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