Phoenix – chicago sky boot Angel Lees I know there’s a distinct rivalry between us. Indiana Fever Newcomer Kaitlyn Clarke.
The two have been rivals since Reese at Maryland and Clark at Iowa in 2020. When Reese transferred to LSU, the rivalry continued, and the stakes were high. LSU beat Iowa in the 2023 national championship game, and Iowa bounced back in the Elite Eight in 2024.
WNBA Rookie of the Year: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Keep Races Interesting
WNBA All-Star Weekend: Kelsey Mitchell replaces stranded teammate in Skills Challenge
The college rivalry moved to the WNBA when Clark went No. 1 to Indiana and Reese went No. 7 to Chicago, giving the two teams four games per season in the Eastern Conference.
The budding rivalry between Indiana and Chicago, just three hours apart, was contentious. Indiana won the first game by one point, the second by eight points, and Chicago won the third by one point.
They had never been teammates before — in high school, AAU, even pickup games. But now the two frontrunners for Rookie of the Year will share the court for the first time as members of Team WNBA on Saturday night.
“I’m looking forward to it. Everyone’s going to get to wear their matching shirts at least once,” Reese joked. “I know a lot of people are going to come and see us… Both rosters are so talented, it’s going to be great.”
Reese and Clarke are the only rookie All-Stars, marking the first time two rookies have been selected to the All-Star team since 2014.
“It’s really rare for two rookies to be here, sharing this experience for the first time,” Clark said. “I think it’s really awesome to have the two of them together this year.”
Clarke and Reese have each taken their sport to new heights in their own unique ways. Reese announced her intention to play in the WNBA in an exclusive interview with Vogue, and she and Clarke made national headlines.
With Clark’s addition, the Fever’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse attendance has grown from an average of 4,000 in 2023 to nearly every game sold out at the 17,000-seat stadium in 2024, averaging more than 16,000 fans per game.
Chicago’s Wintrust Arena can accommodate about 10,000 people, and Sky has averaged 7,800 fans per game this season, nearly double the 2023 average of 4,822.
“Obviously the attention we bring and that’s what draws everyone else in. I think it’s going to help the game continue to grow, and it’s definitely a really cool opportunity for us to come here and enjoy this first All-Star experience,” Clark said. “And it’s great for the fans. Obviously the fans are super excited about it. So I think overall it’s super exciting, but it’s also really hard to do. So just soak it up and enjoy it and celebrate it.”
Follow IndyStar Fever Insider Chloe Peterson on X. @ChloePeterson67.
This article originally appeared in the Indianapolis Star: Angel Reese, Kaitlyn Clarke Play Together in WNBA All-Star Game
