NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 02: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on during the first quarter of a game against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on June 02, 2024 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Caitlin Clark has received her first big rookie award in the WNBA.© Luke Hales/Getty Images
Caitlin Clark left the NCAA as the highest scorer in the history of basketball, and she has continued to showcase her elite skillset at the professional level. Clark is currently in second place in the WNBA with 27 three-pointers made and in fourth for 6.4 assists per game.
Read more: Caitlin Clark Gets Her Revenge On Angel Reese Again
She continues to dominate, even as a rookie, and has picked up her first big award at the WNBA level.
The WNBA announced that Clark is the Rookie of the Month for May after she secured 17.6 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, and 6.6 assists per game. What might make this award that much sweeter for the dynamic star, is she secured this award before her rival, Angel Reese.
Clark and Reese have made headlines since they took one another on in the NCAA Tournament final in 2022. The LSU Tigers would take down the Iowa Hawkeyes to win the national title, but it wouldn’t be the last time they would meet.
The Hawkeyes would get their revenge in 2023 when they once again faced off against the Tigers in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes would be the victor, sending the Tigers home. After the matchup, Reese stated that she and Clark “do not hate each other.”
Despite the sentiment that the pair of stars are simply tough competitors, their rivalry has resurfaced at the WNBA level. After the Sky beat the Los Angeles Sparks, Reese posted and deleted on X: “And that’s on getting a WIN in a packed area not just cause of one player on our charter flight. #SKYTOWN.”
Reese might have been subtly taking a jab at the news that the WNBA is getting charter flights for the first time, which many people accredited to the star power of Clark. Despite Reese’s tepid response to Clark’s fame, her popularity is undeniable.
Since Clark was drafted by the Fever, she has secured a $28 million endorsement deal with Nike, which includes a signature shoe. She has also become the face of Wilson, a feat no athlete has accomplished since Michael Jordan. A multitude of WNBA teams also moved their games with the Fever into bigger stadiums to prepare for Clark’s arrival.
The same cannot be said for Reese, though she has made it known that she should be talked about in the same vein as Clark. Reese recently stated, “The reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of 1 person. It’s because of me, too. I want y’all to realize that.”
This is the second time she has subtly referenced or taken a presumed dig at Clark. It appears their rivalry lives on, despite Reese stating the pair do not hate one another.
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