Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese send powerful statements in same-day WNBA triumphs

They sent a thunderous message across the league

Caitlin Clark, left, fouls Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, centerLAPRESSE

Caitlin Clark returned to the court with a vengeance, and Angel Reese responded with purpose. In a matter of hours, two of the WNBA’s most-watched players sent a thunderous message across the league.

For Clark, it was a long-awaited comeback. After missing five games due to a quad injury, the 23-year-old reemerged as though she never left.

Facing the undefeated New York Liberty, she delivered a masterclass with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists in what became a historic 102-88 upset.

Her deep threes, flashy vision, and tactical command of the offense lit up the scoreboard and silenced critics.

Reese builds her own legacy with triple-double performance

But while Clark dominated in Indiana, in Connecticut, another young phenom etched her name into the record books. Angel Reese may not have dominated headlines, but she carved her own historic path by recording her first career triple-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds, and a career-high 11 assists in the Chicago Sky‘s 78-66 win over the Sun.

Caitlin Clark is the only player in WNBA history has recorded a triple-double at a younger age.

Yet Reese didn’t want to talk about milestones or rivalries. Asked about her evolution as a player, she answered with just five words: “I just wanna be unstoppable.”

Then came the follow-up, spoken with steely conviction.

“I wanna be to a point where it’s hard to guard because they have to guard the pass.”

Sky’s complete team effort makes a bold statement

Reese’s triple-double may have headlined the box score, but the Chicago Sky as a whole made their presence felt in Connecticut. With four starters in double digits and a bench that outscored the Sun’s reserves 36-2, Chicago looked like a team discovering its rhythm.

Hailey Van Lith, Ariel Atkins, and Reese herself took over in the fourth quarter, sealing the win with a combination of physicality and precision. The Sky shot an impressive 42.9 percent from the field and went 17-of-18 from the free-throw line (94.4 percent). For a team that had been searching for cohesion, this game was about more than numbers. It was about identity.

And Reese‘s leadership played no small part in that shift. After the final horn, her teammates honored her triple-double in classic fashion, with a water bottle shower. Kia Nurse even shielded Reese’s hair with a towel, showing the tight-knit culture growing in the Chicago locker room.