Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark’s rivalry has become one of the biggest storylines currently in the WNBA. It can even be argued that their history as competitors follows the same trajectory as NBA legends Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The only difference is that the media haven’t covered the two WNBA stars in the same fashion as they did Magic and Larry. Legendary women’s basketball star and Reggie Miller’s sister, Cheryl Miller, believes that’s the unfortunate reality for the WNBA.
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There hasn’t been a rivalry in basketball that has lived up to Bird and Johnson. Their competitive feud began in the NCAA National Championship game. They went on to compete at the highest level, spanning over a decade. Does that sound familiar?
That is because Reese and Clark’s rivalry began the same way. It’s still too early to speak about their WNBA careers, but the two have emerged as superstars for their respective teams. Instead of the media pushing the two stars as fierce competitors, the discourse has been on a more emotional level.
Cheryl Miller has noticed these discrepancies but doesn’t believe it is specific to Clark and Reese’s situation. It’s an overarching issue in the coverage of women’s basketball.
“The difference is with the men it’s a rivalry,” Miller said on All Facts No Brakes with Keyshawn Johnson. “The narrative is always different with the women. We’re either petty, jealous or envious.”
Miller’s statement pretty much sums up the media discourse surrounding Clark and Reese’s rivalry. The reaction of the media exploded once Reese taunted Clark with the ring finger celebration in the 2023 National Championship. Having been in the heat of the moment, Clark didn’t pay any attention to it, but her non-reaction went just as viral.
Iconically, Magic and Bird went on to become the best of friends off the court. From the way things look currently, that doesn’t seem to be the case with Angel and Caitlin. But Miller believes that type of relationship doesn’t always have to be the case.
“I don’t have to like you. I respect your game and everything else. But we don’t have to be kumbaya,” Miller proclaimed.
The narratives surrounding Clark and Reese have become more diverse as of late due to figures such as Miller and WNBA legend Cynthia Cooper, both of whom have provided unique analysis into the rivalry.
It’ll take more respected and powerful voices to change the way people view the WNBA and women’s sports. It might not be in a desirable place at the moment, but it certainly has the potential to reach heights never seen before.
