

When Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese faced off on the court last week, it didn’t just feel like a basketball game-it felt like a moment. The two rookies, already stars before they even suited up in theWNBA, reignited a rivalry that’s been brewing since their college days. But this time, the conversation around it went deeper.
The fouls, the body language, the fan reactions-it all snowballed into a bigger conversation about perception, popularity, and race. And into that conversation stepped LeSean McCoy.
Caitlin Clark commits a huge foul over Angel Reese in order to defend her teammate
The former NFL running back, who won Super Bowls with both Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, offered his take on Speak (FS1), and he wasn’t subtle. “You got a white girl from Iowa doing her thing. She beat all the Black girls. Then you got Angel Reese, elite Black girl, different swag,” McCoy said. “That clash? That’s what’s elevating the game.”
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McCoy argued that the contrast between Clark and Reese isn’t just a media creation-it’s part of why people are watching. “Social media’s lit because of it,” he said. “People are picking sides. That’s what makes this real.”
And he’s not entirely wrong. The 2023 NCAA championship game between LSU and Iowa pulled in nearly 10 million viewers, per Nielsen. And according to The Athletic, WNBA social engagement is up over 300% since both players joined the league.
But while Clark’s long-range bombs and quiet intensity have drawn comparisons to Steph Curry, Reese brings fire, flair, and fearlessness-a style often scrutinized more harshly, particularly when coming from Black women. ESPN’s Andraya Carter recently pointed out how praise and criticism don’t always follow the same rules, depending on who’s in the spotlight.
McCoy touched on that too. “Angel’s not wrong to say she helped make the league popular,” he added. “Whether she’s better than Caitlin or not-that’s not the point. They both are. But this race thing? It’s there, and it’s part of the story.”
That “story,” as McCoy put it, isn’t just about individual talent. It’s about how identity, background, and public perception shape who gets the spotlight-and how bright that spotlight shines.
Whether you’re #TeamClark or #TeamReese, there’s no denying this rivalry is here to stay. And if it keeps elevating women’s basketball the way it has so far, maybe that’s something everyone can root for.
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