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Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stephen A. Smith Has Strong Advice for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Amid Drama
The Chicago Sky got blown out by the Indiana Fever on Saturday, May 17 to open up the 2025 season. New Fever coach Stephanie White had a lot more figured out than new Sky coach Tyler Marsh, and the final score being 93 to 58 showcased that. Caitlin Clark was up to her usual tricks, recording a 20-point triple-double with four blocks and two steals as well. Angel Reese also did what she does best, scoring 12 points and contributing a staggering 17 rebounds. Advertisement Unfortunately, despite these two great performances, most of the discourse about the game surrounds a flagrant foul that Clark had on Reese in the second half. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5).Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images The foul has caused quite a stir in WNBA circles, and Reese took exception to the play when it occurred. Both of these young stars handled the incident in a mature fashion after the game, but tensions will certainly be heightened before their next meeting. Renowned ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith reacted to the scuffle on Monday's edition of "First Take." He gave some advice to Reese and Clark by comparing their rivalry between these two young stars to that of Hall of Fame NBA players Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Advertisement "Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, embrace this (rivalry)," Smith said. "It's okay, because all y'all are doing is competing." These two players are already some of the biggest faces in the WNBA, and the league is already leaning into the rivalry. The Sky and Fever are set to face off five times this season, which is a league record. The bitterness between these two players began when Reese and her LSU teammates took down Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2023 NCAA National Championship Game. Reese infamously mocked Clark in the final moments of the matchup, which spurred excitement for their professional showdowns. On the court, the Fever got the best of the Sky, and it was not particularly close. If the drama can be set aside for their next matchup on June 7, then it has all the makings of another great WNBA game. Related: Former WNBA Champion Whom Angel Reese Tried to Recruit Receives Disappointing Update Related: Angel Reese's Sky Teammate Sends Strong Statement After Caitlin Clark Drama
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Angel Reese Makes Clear Declaration Before Playing Caitlin Clark
The 2025 WNBA season begins on Friday, with the highly-anticipated matchup between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever taking place on Saturday. These two Eastern Conference rivals will face off five times this year, building on what was an exciting season series in 2024. Indiana took three of four from Chicago last season, with rookie guard Caitlin Clark leading the way. In addition to her unprecedented season averages of 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists, Clark averaged 20.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists in four games against Chicago (via WNBA). Advertisement Saturday's matchup will be another chapter in the storied head-to-head rivalry of Clark and Angel Reese. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5).© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images While Clark and Reese are much different players, their individual rivalry gained notoriety in 2023 when LSU defeated Iowa in the NCAA National Championship Game. Reese infamously mocked Clark with the "you can't see me" gesture, sparking weeks of national coverage. Ahead of Saturday's rematch, Reese declared that "Set It Off" by Boosie is Chicago's song of the summer. After LSU defeated Virginia Tech in the 2023 National Semifinal, a locker room video surfaced of the team celebrating with "Set It Off" playing in the background. Boosie, who is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a well-known fan of LSU. Advertisement Former Tigers guard Flau'jae Johnson uploaded the aforementioned locker room video on social media. With "Set It Off" serving as LSU's anthem prior to defeating Clark and the Hawkeyes in 2023, perhaps it can again set the vibe for Reese and her teammates as Chicago attempts to start 1-0 with a victory over Indiana on Saturday. The two teams will tip-off at 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC. Related: Chicago Sky Make Hailey Van Lith Decision Before Playing Caitlin Clark Related: Angel Reese's 1.7 Million Lead Over Caitlin Clark Turns Heads
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Angel Reese Facing Backlash After Caitlin Clark Message Circulates
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese received one vote for 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds, the No. 7 overall pick put together a strong first professional campaign. Reese finished a distant second in Rookie of the Year voting to Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, who received 66 of the 67 possible votes. The No. 1 overall pick averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists en route to Indiana's first playoff appearance since 2016. Advertisement While Clark and Reese play different positions and have very different games, they have been linked since the 2023 NCAA National Championship Game. LSU forward Angel Reese (10) and Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22)© Zach Boyden-Holmes / USA TODAY NETWORK As LSU was completing its victory over Iowa, Reese taunted Clark with the "you can't see me" gesture. The moment ignited weeks of national coverage. Now, another viral moment from that day has been recirculating on social media. In response to a post that claimed Reese has never said anything negative about another player, one fan on X posted an Instagram live clip from after the 2023 National Championship Game. "Caitlin Clark, I'm not the one to disrespect," Reese said in the clip. "I disrespect around here. I'm talking." This clip is circulating on X with over 140,000 views, and it has Reese again facing backlash for the comments she made more than two years ago. Advertisement "I let it rock at the time cause they won but she was so corny for this," said one fan. "The crazy part is she inserted herself into someone else business then tried to backtrack," a fan added. "lol 'didn't do this...' like caitlin didn't drop 30," said another. "not her fault she wasn't on a stacked team like angel to carry her to a title." "i was fine with her did it in court when they still playing but did it on ig livestream unprovoked??? she just hate cc and cc didn't even do that 'you can't see me' hand sign to her in the first place," a fan pointed out. "It's always on social media for her," one added. Advertisement Related: Chicago Sky Announce Move After Hailey Van Lith News Related: Indiana Fever Send Caitlin Clark Message After Angel Reese News
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
South Carolina vs. UConn odds: Paige Bueckers, Huskies open as favorites for women's national title game
South Carolina vs. UConn odds: Paige Bueckers, Huskies open as favorites for women's national title game From narrative and historical standpoints, the world of women's basketball couldn't possibly ask for a better championship draw. It's Geno Auriemma versus Dawn Staley; Paige Bueckers trying to go out on top against the dynastic title defenders. UConn-South Carolina is the final game we deserve. Legacies will solidify and hoop dreams will actualize on Sunday afternoon. How to watch South Carolina vs. Connecticut What: Women's NCAA National Championship Game Advertisement Venue: Amalie Arena — Tampa, Fla. Time: 3 p.m. ET, Sunday TV: ABC Streaming: Fubo (try for free) Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub. Auriemma's Huskies are one win away from their 12th national net cutting. They've won each of their tourney games by double digits: early round demolitions across the first weekend, an iconic Bueckers heat check against Oklahoma, then the Los Angeles gauntlet of USC and UCLA. UConn overwhelmingly claimed its Final Four fight versus the Bruins, 85-51, finishing at 55/44 percent shooting splits while forcing 19 turnovers. Bueckers had 16 points, Azzi Fudd scored 19 and Sarah Strong led the way with 22. Advertisement On the precipice of her college career, Bueckers has a lot to celebrate. She's been the AP Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American, holder of both the Wooden and Naismith trophies, and has reached tremendous heights as a face of women's hoops. Just one thing is missing: an NCAA championship. Her transcendent freshman season was spoiled by a 10-point loss to Arizona at the national semifinal. As a sophomore, she fell short of South Carolina in the title game. Bueckers redshirted after tearing her ACL in 2022, then fell on the wrong side of last year's Final Four instant-classic with Caitlin Clark and Iowa. It would be a defining achievement for the entire squad, of course. Auriemma would assert his eternal bonafides and get back to the mountaintop for the first time since 2016. Fudd would cap a triumphant return from an ACL tear of her own. Strong would seal an all-time great freshman campaign and set herself up as UConn's next major star. Senior Kaitlyn Chen has forged a following since coming over from Princeton. First-year Jana El Alfy got to celebrate Friday's win with her parents, who flew from Egypt to support their daughter. It's a likable group with championship credentials. So is South Carolina. The Gamecocks are unselfish, swaggering and resilient. They trailed both Maryland and Duke in the third quarters of the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, respectively, only to muscle out comebacks and slam the doors shut down the stretch. Staley has emerged as a titan of the sport, and the roster is loaded with balanced, complementary talents. The reigning champs dispatched top-seeded Texas on Friday, a comfortable 74-57 cruise behind four double-digit scorers. Bree Hall and Te-Hina Paopao had 11 and 14, respectively, while Raven Johnson contributed six rebounds, three assists and three stocks (steals + blocks). Freshman Joyce Edwards did her usual damage off the bench, and sophomore Tessa Johnson drained a 3 and added 9 points with the second unit. The Gamecocks go eight players deep and have no shortage of lead options for any given matchup. Advertisement South Carolina's defense is ferocious and disciplined, but it can also show some flashy perimeter punch when cornered. Creative passer and rangy shooter Paopao is WNBA-bound after this final game of eligibility, and fellow guard MiLaysia Fulwiley is a springy 5-foot-10 force with the ball in her hands. From front to back, they play with the boundless confidence of a team that's lost six total games in the last four years. Oddsmakers have the Huskies favored to win on Sunday, but the Gamecocks cannot be slept on in April. The hype is high for Sunday's grand Madness. South Carolina vs. Connecticut odds The AthleticThe Athletic Advertisement This article originally appeared in The Athletic. South Carolina Gamecocks, Connecticut Huskies, Women's College Basketball, Sports Betting, Women's NCAA Tournament 2025 The Athletic Media Company
