In the world of basketball, disrespectful moments are almost a given. Over the years, I’ve seen countless examples of players getting snubbed, overlooked, or outright disrespected. For instance, Bradley Beal’s exclusion from the 2020 All-Star team despite averaging 30 points a game was a notable offense. Then there was James Harden in 2016, when he missed out on an All-NBA selection despite playing all 82 games and averaging 29 points. And don’t even get me started on the snub of Dwight Howard from the NBA’s top 75 list—truly a ridiculous oversight. However, nothing could have prepared me for the jaw-dropping moment in women’s basketball when Caitlin Clark humiliated her bully, Angel Reese, in front of the entire WNBA audience.
In August 2023, Caitlin Clark found herself being unfairly pitted against Angel Reese. It all started when ESPN tweeted about the race for the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year, with Reese ahead of Clark in the rankings. Given Clark’s undeniable talent, this was a disrespectful move that irked many basketball fans. Reese had been targeting Clark for months, from mocking her with John Cena’s “You Can’t See Me” gesture in the NCAA championship to smacking her in the head during a game. It was clear that Angel Reese had something against Clark, but Caitlin, being the professional she is, kept things focused on the court.
Fast forward to the highly anticipated game on August 30, 2023. The stakes were high—this was their final rookie showdown of the season. While Reese confidently strutted into the arena in her Dennis Rodman-inspired outfit, Clark was all business, focused and ready for the challenge. What transpired next would leave a lasting impact on both players’ careers and reputations.
From the opening tip, Clark proved she was in a league of her own. While Reese and her team, the Chicago Sky, had a hot start, Clark’s Indiana Fever began to mount a comeback. By the end of the first quarter, Clark had already put up 23 points and nine assists, while Reese was struggling with just five points. The game quickly turned into a one-sided affair, with the Fever outscoring the Sky 78-64 by the end of the third quarter.
Despite Reese’s attempts to keep up, including trying to replicate Clark’s deep shots, it was clear that Angel was out of her depth. The frustration on the Sky’s side was palpable, and they resorted to cheap fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct. But Caitlin Clark? She was in her element, effortlessly draining shots, playmaking, and engaging with the crowd. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Fever had a commanding 25-point lead, and Clark was having fun on the bench, laughing with her teammates and enjoying the game.
Meanwhile, Angel Reese, desperately trying to pad her stats, stayed in the game while the Sky were down by a significant margin. With just minutes left on the clock, Reese was still trying to secure her double-double. In the process, she missed back-to-back free throws, further adding to her humiliation. Fans, noticing her desperate attempts to inflate her stats, criticized her online, pointing out how embarrassing it was for Reese to still be playing in such a blowout.
By the end of the game, Clark had racked up 31 points and 12 assists while Reese, despite her best efforts to pad her numbers in garbage time, ended with a measly 10 points and 11 rebounds. But had she not been stat-padding in the dying minutes of the game, her final line would have been even more pathetic: just five points and nine rebounds on 28% shooting.
Caitlin Clark didn’t need to trash-talk or retaliate against Reese; her basketball skills spoke volumes. While Reese was left chasing empty stats, Clark put on a show, dominating the court and leaving no room for doubt about who the superior player was. It was a statement game, one where Caitlin Clark didn’t just outplay her rival—she humiliated her in front of a national audience. This was the day that Caitlin Clark proved that when it comes to pure basketball talent, Angel Reese simply couldn’t keep up.