Angel Reese was assessed a flagrant 1 for a hard foul she committed on Caitlin Clark Sunday, but it does not sound like the play bothered Clark at all.
Clark was hit in the head by Reese on a layup attempt late in the third quarter of the Indiana Fever’s 91-83 win over the Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Reese appeared to be going for the ball, but she did not get any of it and instead clubbed Clark off the side of the head. Clark fell hard to the floor under the basket. You can see the video here.
The play was reviewed and upgraded to a flagrant 1 foul. By WNBA rules, a flagrant 1 is when “contact committed against a player, with or without the ball, is interpreted to be unnecessary.”
Clark was asked about the foul during her postgame press conference. She defended Reese.
“It’s just part of basketball. It is what it is,” Clark said. “She’s trying to make a play on the ball and get the block. It happens.”
Caitlin Clark on the flagrant 1 foul from Angel Reese: “It’s just part of basketball, it is what it is, she was trying to make a play on the ball.” pic.twitter.com/MOFsfAslNq
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 16, 2024
Reese, of course, was also asked about the foul. She cut off a reporter mid-question and said “basketball play.”
“It’s a basketball play. I can’t control the refs,” Reese said. “They affected the game, obviously, a lot tonight, so … I mean, I’m always going for the ball, but y’all gonna play that clip what, 20 times before Monday? So, it’s cool.”
Angel Reese on Flagrant foul call on Caitlin Clark "It was a basketball play…I can't control the refs….Yall gonna play that clip 20 times before Monday" pic.twitter.com/KJzbzAgohc
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) June 16, 2024
The play received so much attention mostly because of the rivalry between Clark and Reese. Reese became famous when she taunted Clark after LSU beat Iowa in the women’s NCAA national champion game two seasons ago. Then this season, Reese was openly happy about a teammate knocking down Clark during a previous game between the Sky and Fever.
Reese also recently shared an inane opinion about Clark’s popularity and was widely mocked for it.
Sunday’s flagrant foul is just another chapter in the history between Clark and Reese.
