SHOCK: Caitlin Clark clarifies her issue with Angel Reese in TIME’s Athlete of the Year interview, when Angel declares “if it weren’t for Caitlin my prize money would be…”/hi

Caitlin Clark sets the record straight on her feud with Angel Reese during TIME Athlete of the Year interview

Caitlin Clark does not understand why people believe she has a feud with WNBA contemporary Angel Reese despite the fierce battles between the two for years.

Reese and Clark have been opponents at multiple levels of basketball, first in college at Iowa and LSU, then as fellow 2024 WNBA draftees, starring for the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky respectively.

Their battles have been at the forefront in the rise of popularity of women’s basketball, with two of the top four most-watched women’s basketball games of all time containing both of them. All four saw Clark on the court.

‘I don’t get that at all,’ Clark said to TIME about the battles with Reese. ‘We’re not best friends, by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another. Yes, we have had tremendous battles. But when have I ever guarded her? And when has she guarded me?’

Their feud seemingly started at the conclusion of last year’s NCAA title game, when Reese pointed at her ring finger in front of Clark as the clock nearly hit zeroes, signaling an LSU national title.

‘I didn’t think it was taunting,’ Clark said. ‘It really didn’t bother me. It’s just like, “Why don’t you talk about them winning? Or the incredible run that we went on that nobody would have thought we would have ever gone on?” The only thing people cared about was this controversy that was really fabricated and made up, and then that has continued to be the case ever since.’

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Caitlin Clark has spoken out on her supposed rivalry with Angel Reese in her TIME interview

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Some believed the feud between the two started during the 2023 NCAA national championship

Angel Reese explains why she will continue to be the WNBA’s ‘bad guy’

Reese and Clark have met six times in NCAA Tournament and WNBA games, with an even 3-3 spilt of results.

The two were also teammates for one night at the WNBA All-Star Game, helping the league all-star team defeat the future Olympic gold medalists on Team USA.

Their rivalry, or lack thereof, will continue to be talked about as they are two of the biggest stars in the WNBA.

The Sky and Fever play five times next year in the WNBA, while Clark is not participating in the upcoming Unrivaled basketball league.

Reese will be in action for the upstart 3-on-3 women’s league alongside many of the sport’s best players