The hot takes poured onto social media Sunday after Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese clocked Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark with an errant elbow on a lay-up attempt.
Reese was initially called for a common foul, but the referees upgraded it to a flagrant-1 foul upon further review. Clark and the Fever ended up with a 91-83 victory.
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Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III looks on before the start of the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 20, 2024 in Baltimore. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The foul caused a ton of commotion, including from former NFL star quarterback Robert Griffin III, who likened the discourse around the two players to a “race war.”
“Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are being used in a race war that is not fair to either athlete or the game of basketball,” he wrote on X.
“Why do you think the discourse around Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and the WNBA is 99% about everything but the basketball being played?” he asked.
WNBA players and sports pundits made Clark’s popularity about her race even before she started in a regular-season game.
Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, celebrates during the game against the Chicago Sky on June 16, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
CAITLIN CLARK TALKS GOING UP AGAINST ANGEL REESE: ‘PEOPLE JUST LOVE SEEING GREAT MATCHUPS’
Before the Fever took on the Sky, Clark was asked multiple times on Thursday about her name being used in “culture wars,” and she received criticism when trying to just focus on basketball.
Clark had a quiet game against the Atlanta Dream but scored 23 points against the Sky.
Reese contended that Sunday’s foul was a “basketball play” and there was nothing more than that.
“I can’t control the refs, and they affected the game, obviously, a lot tonight,” Reese said after the game. “Y’all are probably going to play that clip like 20 times before Monday.”
“I think we went up really strong a lot of times and didn’t get a lot of calls,” Reese added. “Going back and looking, I’ve seen a lot of calls that weren’t made, I guess some people get a special whistle.”
Clark downplayed the foul.
Angel Reese, #5 of the Chicago Sky, looks on during the game against the Indiana Fever on June 16, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
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“It is what it is, you know, she’s trying to make a play on the ball and get the block,” Clark said. “I mean it happens and then those free throws when you have to shoot with nobody at the line are kind of hard. So I was just focusing on making those free throws.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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