Reese did not speak to media after the game, and the league fined her $1,000 for failing to attend media sessions. Additionally, the Sky organization was find $5,000 for not making all players available for media.
In other Fever-Sky news, Chicago rookie Angel Reese has been fined $1,000 for failing to make herself available for interviews yesterday.
The Chicago Sky have also been fined $5,000 for not upholding media policies. pic.twitter.com/U1xTMzcrGb
Clark and Reese's names have been intertwined since the two faced each other in the NCAA tournament final in 2023 when Reese's LSU Tigers beat Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes. The two emphasize constantly how there isn't beef between them, but this moment on Saturday caused a social media frenzy regarding the two star rookies, making fans question what the relationship is between them.
The foul occurred with 15.8 seconds left in the third quarter on a Fever inbounds play, moments after Carter sank a mid-range jump shot. Clark was preparing to receive the inbounds pass from Fever teammate Aliyah Boston when Carter, who had remained on that side of the court following her made shot, proceeded to shoulder check Clark to the ground.
Officials ruled Carter's move a common foul and the play was not reviewed.
At the end of the quarter, Clark, during a sideline interview, told ESPN that Carter's foul was "not a basketball play." Meanwhile, Sides, after joking that she was "trying not to get fined," told reporters that she has submitted plays involving Clark to the WNBA for review.
"We're just going to keep sending these possessions to the league, and these plays, and hopefully they'll start, you know, taking a better look at some of the things that we see happening, or we think is happening," Sides said.
"Just more happy that Caitlin handled it the way she did. You know, it's tough to keep getting hammered the way she does and to not get rewarded with free throws or foul calls. She's continued to fight through that. Appreciate that from her. Really, really proud of her for doing that."
The WNBA on Sunday upgraded Carter's foul on Clark to a Flagrant 1 after review, according to Alexa Philippou of ESPN. Clark and the Fever will next take on the New York Liberty on Sunday night.
Over the last two years, the friendly rivalry between Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese has elevated two games—women's college basketball and the WNBA—to never-before-seen heights.
Like all truly great sports rivalries, however, Clark and Reese's rivalry is built on mutual respect. On Saturday morning, Clark demonstrated that by praising both Reese and Sky center Kamilla Cardoso before the Fever played Chicago in the afternoon.
"The thing about (Reese), she's been so dominant at what she does ever since we played in high school," Clark said via Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. "She's always had a knack for being able to rebound the ball and that's just translated immediately to the WNBA."
Caitlin Clark had high praise for Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso ahead of today’s game.
“(Angel) has been so dominant at what she does ever since we played in high school.”
Reese entered Saturday averaging 8.2 rebounds per game, ninth in the WNBA.
"Kamilla caused us a lot of problems in the national championship," Clark said of Cardoso. "Kamilla is just scratching the surface of her potential... it's been a lot of fun to watch those two kind of evolve over their college careers."
Each of the trio had a role to play in Indiana's eventual 71–70 win. Clark scored 11 points, pulled down eight rebounds and gave out eight assists; Reese scored eight points and pulled down 13 rebounds; Cardoso scored 11 points and had six rebounds.
Saturday's game between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky was supposed to be a celebration of the WNBA's most heralded rookie class ever, with Fever guard Caitlin Clark squaring off against Sky forward Angel Reese and center Kamilla Cardoso.
While still a memorable game—Indiana won 71–70—it became yet another unfortunate referendum on Clark's reputation throughout the league.
Late in the third quarter, Chicago guard Chennedy Carter slammed into Clark on an inbounds pass and was called for an off-ball foul.
When the quarter was over, Clark was asked about the foul.
“Yeah, that’s just not a basketball play,” Clark said via The New York Post. “But you know I’ve gotta play through it, that’s what basketball is about at this level.”
Chennedy Carter fouls Caitlin Clark on the inbound. Away-from-play foul called. pic.twitter.com/LodLF5oKMF
There have been plenty of people making a run at Caitlin Clark during her rookie season in the WNBA, as defenses hone in on the Indiana Fever's star guard as the focal point of their defensive game plan.
Clark hasn't been one to back down from the competition, however, and after draining a big three-pointer against the Seattle Storm on Thursday night, she could be seen getting face-to-face with one of her opponents.
While walking back on defense after her deep three, Clark could be seen jawing back and forth with Storm's Victoria Vivians. The pair got up close and in each other's faces before Aliyah Boston swooped in and pulled her teammate out of the situation.
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) May 30, 2024
Clark didn't look too pleased with Vivians as she turned to head back down the court, and they appeared to bump shoulders before being separated.
Officials assessed Vivians and Clark with double technical fouls and play resumed shortly after. Thursday's incident marks the second technical of the season for Indiana's prized rookie, having picked up her first in a game against the Connecticut Sun on May 20.
Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I don’t think the Timberwolves are going to complete the comeback, but I’m glad they’re at least shortening the break before the NBA Finals.
Over the course of her first seven WNBA games, Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark looked like, well, a rookie. She had a handful of solid offensive performances (three games with at least 20 points) but also her fair share of struggles (like a 2-for-8 shooting night in a loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday).
But in Tuesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks, Clark had her first true superstar game as a pro, scoring 30 points (on 7-of-16 shooting) with five rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks. She’s the first rookie since Rhynne Howard in 2022 to have a 30-point game and the first since Sabrina Ionescu in ’20 to have 30 points, five assists and five rebounds in a game. Not impressed yet? Clark is the first rookie in WNBA history and just the fourth WNBA player ever to have at least 30 points, five assists, five rebounds, three blocks and three steals in a game.
That’s the kind of performance fans expected from Clark when she turned pro, and it was only a matter of time before it became a reality. Every rookie needs some time to adjust to the higher level of play in the pros, and the transition is especially hard for WNBA players who had barely a month between the end of their college season and the start of their rookie year.
But it wasn’t all positive news for Clark. For one thing, she also notched seven turnovers. Losing the ball has been the biggest problem for Clark in her brief pro career. She currently leads the WNBA in turnovers per game with 5.3, well ahead of the next closest player, Skyler Diggins-Smith with 4.3. Turnovers are nothing new for Clark. She led the NCAA in that category three times in her college career and ranks third on the all-time list. But if the biggest problem with her game is that she coughs the ball up a little more often than you’d like, that’s something the Fever can certainly live with.
More disappointingly, the Fever lost the game, 88–82, to drop to 1–7 on the season. That’s the second worst record in the league. Only the winless Washington Mystics (0–6) have been worse.
“I think I just played with an aggressive mindset,” Clark told reporters. “I think that was the biggest thing—to play downhill the best I could. We did some good things and then we just kind of shot ourselves in the foot.”
The Fever’s best stretch came immediately after halftime, when they started the third quarter on an 11–0 run to take a 43–37 lead. But the Sparks closed the quarter with an 11–0 run of their own to go up 59–55. The Los Angeles lead swelled to as many as 14 in the fourth quarter as the Fever failed to turn the tide.
“You don't give yourself a chance … You can't do something right for two and a half quarters and then just stop doing it,” Indiana coach Christie Sides said. “We were going under some of the screens that were supposed to be going over. We were gambling and getting out of position.
“Instead of us stepping over and stopping them (and) having our teammates’ back, we're reaching. That’s just a lack of discipline.”
The Fever clearly still have a lot to figure out, but the more games like Tuesday’s that Clark has, the easier the wins will come.
Towns stepped up to keep Minnesota alive vs. Dallas on Tuesday. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
If you think Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark's rise over the last four years—from Des Moines-area high school basketball star to one of the most transcendent college athletes ever—has been the stuff of Disney movies, you are not alone.
Disney+ will debut in the live sports space next Tuesday by airing Clark's WNBA regular season debut, ESPN toldThe Hollywood Reporter Tuesday.
The Fever are slated to open their season against the Connecticut Sun, one of four games scheduled for the league's first day. A second matchup between the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces will also air on Disney+.
These two games will be the first traditional live sporting events to air on Disney+, barring a pair of themed animated telecasts of NFL and NHL games.
Clark was selected with the No. 1 pick by Indiana in the WNBA draft out of Iowa on April 15, part of a heralded rookie class that includes Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese and Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink.
One of the WNBA's thorniest logistical issues appears on the verge of being put to bed.
The league will provide charter air travel to all its teams for the first time, commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Tuesday—a week before the beginning of the regular season.
“We intend to fund a full-time charter for this season,” Engelbert told reporters.
Per the commissioner, the flights will cost $25 million over two seasons and will begin "as soon as we can get planes in places."
The poor state of WNBA travel has long been a hot topic in basketball circles, with the New York Liberty facing severe discipline for splurging on a team trip to Napa in 2021 on the grounds that it exceeded compensation allowable under the league's CBA.
This season is the most anticipated in WNBA history, as the league welcomes rookie Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese to an already intriguing crop of stars. The New York Liberty and Washington Mystics will tip off the regular season on Tuesday, May 14 in Washington D.C.
Fashion's biggest night had some of the sports world's biggest stars in attendance on Monday night at the Met Gala.
Sports standouts ranging from the NFL to tennis to Formula 1 walked the carpet in their custom outfits all interpreting the theme "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" in different ways.
Tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams returned to the Met Gala. At last year's Met, Serena famously announced her second pregnancy with husband Alexis Ohanian during a carpet interview.
Take a look at all the athletes that went to the 2024 Met Gala.
Serena Williams
The 23-time Grand Slam champion wore a custom gold Balenciaga dress that many deemed a "going for gold" theme to commemorate her legendary tennis career.
The five-time Wimbledon champion also wore a shining dress, but with hers more on the silver side. Her custom Marc Jacobs dress was reflective like a disco ball, but with a sheer first layer.
Lewis Hamilton
The Formula 1 driver, who's known for his fashion sense, wore a significant outfit on the carpet. His custom Burberry suit was made in honor of one of Britain's first Black gardners, John Ystumllyn. An excerpt from Alex Wharton's 'The Gardener' poem was embroidered into the inside of his suit jacket.
The Chicago Sky rookie became the first WNBA rookie to walk the Met Gala carpet on Monday, and it was fitting that she flew from practice that morning to make it to the New York City event at night. It was also Reese's 22nd birthday as she walked in her 16Arlington by Marco Capaldo seafoam colored dress.
Training camp in the morning, Met Gala at night, preseason game tomorrow.
The Brooklyn Nets guard wowed fans with his Thom Browne suit. The black sparkly suit with a plaid design at the top wasn't complete without the briefcase with a giant clock on it. This piece fit more into the "Garden of Time" theme.
LPGA star Korda, who won five consecutive tournaments already this year, took a break ahead of this month's U.S. Women's Open to attend the Met Gala in an Oscar de la Renta gown. Her dress included red flowers with green leaves.
The new Miami Dolphins receiver wore an embroidered suit jacket with flowers and birds on it from Bode. His pants continued some of the design from the jacket as well.
Dwyane Wade
The retired NBA star walked the carpet with his wife, actress Gabrielle Union. Wade wore a lilac colored Versace suit completed with a plain white T-shirt and black shoes, while Union gave off mermaid vibes with her Michael Kors dress.
It's been quite a stretch for Angel Reese. She helped take LSU to the Elite Eight in her final collegiate season, and was picked seventh in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky. To top it all off, Reese attended Monday night's Met Gala in a stunning outfit, and everybody was in awe.
The fact that Reese managed to attend at all is pretty remarkable, given she practiced in Chicago earlier that day. The Sky's season debut is on May 15. Practicing and then flying out to New York City and undergo what must've been hours of prep for the red carpet walk isn't easy and certainly is not usually something rookies can do. But Reese is not just any rookie.
Even scattered amongst the biggest stars of all, Reese shined on Monday night in a 16 Arlington dress.
WNBA Draft, Training Camp, Preseason Game and...THE MET GALA.✨
Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) continues to put women's basketball at the forefront, even in the fashion world.
She's the first WNBA rookie to attend the event and wore a STUNNING seafoam green dress by 16 Arlington. pic.twitter.com/qBiFCFsfFk
As if there was any remaining doubt that Reese is going to push the limits of what's possible whenever she can, the rookie forward was back in Chicago on Tuesday morning to prepare for the Sky's next preseason matchup against the New York Liberty. She probably wishes the game was at Barclays Center, but this makes for a better story.
Angel Reese on maximizing your 24HRS.
The Sky rookie is back in Chicago, gearing up for her first game at Wintrust Arena after spending the evening at the Met Gala in NYC. pic.twitter.com/9GWLsnDNti
