Hating on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is ruining WNBA for the rest of us

Caitlin Clark is making a billion dollars for the WNBA in only her second season.

Angel Reese is not far behind as one of the biggest superstars in the league as a brand-building juggernaut and fashion influencer.

So then why is there still always so much hate anytime either one of them steps onto the court?

Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark — Brad Penner-Imagn Images

What was supposed to be a beautiful rivalry like Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson that would make the W flourish has only polarized each side for those that religiously follow women's basketball. So much so, diehards are destroying the very foundation of something that could make the league blossom because of turf-war pettiness that ruins it for casual fans.

Larry Bird, Magic Johnson — This is what the energy of the Caitlin vs. Angel should feel like. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Choosing sides

Yes, there is a history between the two ever since their illustrious college careers when Reese was trash-talking Clark after her LSU Tigers defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes in the national championship game.

Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese — Zach Boyden-Holmes / USA TODAY NETWORK

"It’s just a full-circle moment of how women are viewed when it comes to trash-talking," Reese told the Wall Street Journal about that game. "It’s OK in men’s sports. We’re going to normalize that in women’s sports as well. So it’s just super-competitive. I think we’re two great competitors.

"We brought a lot of fans to this league," Reese continued. "And I think we’re going to continue to do that. And one day, hopefully, we’ll be teammates."

Clark and Reese seem to understand the rivalry only helps them. Their fans, however, do not. Whether on social media or even at some arenas, it gets ugly. Very ugly.

Jealousy within the WNBA

Clark is definitely in a sophomore slump, especially on the road with her 3-point percentage woefully low. Going into this week, it was an atrocious 3.6% away from Indy while shooting 40.3% from the friendly confines of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Not to make excuses for the Indiana Fever phenom, but her nagging groin injury brought her to tears last night, and she missed some games earlier this season with a left quad strain.

Caitlin Clark injured her groin and was in tears. Shut down the season.
pic.twitter.com/SLbkdt8szC
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) July 16, 2025

Even with her long-distance shooting woes, the Iowa legend is by far the most popular player in the W, whether it's TV ratings-streaming numbers or All-Star voting, where her nearly 1.3 million votes smashed the previous record.

As we noted, that number was more than the entire votes received for all 30 players in 2023 before she was drafted by the Fever No. 1 overall in 2024, which was 1.17 million combined.

Her peers, however, only rank Clark as the ninth best guard in the league, and the physical, borderline bullying nature by players like the Connecticut Sun's Marina Mabrey are a major concern.

this league treats her like a punching bag pic.twitter.com/c76w3qAjLY
— chris (@chrisclxrk) June 18, 2025

Reese had also started the season abysmally shooting, but the Chicago Sky sensation has turned it around lately, shooting above 43 percent every game since June 24, becoming a certifiable double-double machine.

Standing at 6-foot-3 compared to Clark's 6-foot height, Reese can handle the physicality a bit more, but even she deals with over-the-top flagrant fouls like getting her hair pulled on a mebound, sorry rebound.

The WNBA, all the way to the top with commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who has called Clark the "most popular athlete in America," needs to make it a priority to change the narrative of hate within the league and those controlling the narrative on every social media platform.

Clark, Reese need to do their part

Caitlin Clark — Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Clark probably is arguably the most popular athlete in America, and she's certainly the biggest name in basketball for the generation behind Steph Curry and LeBron James.

With that though comes exponentially higher scrutiny, so the social media trolls are going to pounce when the 23-year-old reigning Rookie of the Year is always going after the referees. Like annoyingly so, with last night's viral reaction being the latest example. Maybe it's also the younger players since that's also a major gripe with NBA stars like Luka Doncic.

Caitlin Clark threatened to call the league on the ref 💀 pic.twitter.com/doakgT68BC
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) July 16, 2025

Reese, also only 23, is always going after the refs too, and went so far earlier this month to call them out in her postgame comments, saying "It has to fixed... I don't give a damn if I get fined."

Angel Reese — Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The fashion maven Reese is also outspoken, which also opens her up to the trolls.

Bottom line, Clark and Reese are unfortunately held to an unfair standard.

Trolls own the narrative

Follow social media during and after any Clark and Reese game, and the die-hard jaded sides, usually falling under extremely pro-Caitlin or extremely pro-Angel clicks, dominate every conversation.

That needs to stop before it's too late, or casual fans will look elsewhere to get their fix.

With so much on the line for the WNBA, especially during a contentious labor negotiation with the players, the pop-culture figure making them a billion dollars needs to be treated like a superstar.

The NBA became what it is today because the late commissioner David Stern notoriously protected the A-listers. It's time the W do the same.

— Enjoy free dish of rich and fabulous players with The Athlete Lifestyle on SI —

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