Following a controversial on-court incident between WNBA rookies Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, legendary coach Dawn Staley expressed her support for Reese, highlighting her exceptional performance and resilience.
During a recent game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever, tensions rose when Clark committed a flagrant foul on Reese, leading to a heated exchange and subsequent technical fouls. The aftermath saw Reese subjected to alleged racial slurs from fans, prompting the WNBA to launch an investigation into the matter.
Staley, a prominent figure in women’s basketball, highlighted Reese’s outstanding contributions on the court, saying, “If I had to pick a Rookie of the Year at this time—today—it’s the Angel. Without a doubt.” She acknowledged Clark’s impressive statistics but highlighted Reese’s consistent double-doubles and leadership.
Both Reese and Clark condemned the inappropriate fan behavior and advocated for a respectful and inclusive league environment. Their mutual respect underscores the importance of unity and support among players, especially during difficult times.
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley’s new book is officially out, but while promoting the career milestone, she was asked about a larger issue in women’s basketball.
Staley’s book, “Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother and Life Lessons I Learned from All Three,” is available for purchase. While on “The View” on May 20 to promote her book, Staley was asked about the ongoing conversation surrounding WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Clark, a guard for the Indiana Fever, and Reese, a forward for the Chicago Sky, met several times on the basketball court, and a rivalry began at the 2023 national championship when Reese and LSU beat Clark and Iowa.
In the third quarter of the Sky vs. Fever game on May 17, Clark received a flagrant foul after pushing Reese to the floor during a layup attempt. Reese immediately stood up and appeared to say something to Clark before other players and coaches defused the situation.
“I want to ask you about a story that’s making headlines right now involving Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese,” asked Staley, co-host of The View. “At last week’s WNBA game, Caitlin defeated Angel, and it seems like Angel sort of confronted her afterward. After that, she faced a ton of racist and hateful comments, and the WNBA quickly released a statement condemning racism and discrimination in all its forms, but what do we do about all this controversy?”
Staley replied, “We have to take Caitlin’s lead, take Angel’s lead, they overcame it. They said, ‘It’s done, it’s basketball, let’s move on,’ but if you’re in my book, you’ll find the answers.”
On May 18, the WNBA released a statement saying it would look into allegations of racist and hate speech but did not elaborate on the allegations.
“The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hatred, and discrimination in all forms—they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter,” the league said in a statement.
Sources told Indystar that “a report has been filed with the league related to alleged racist comments directed at Sky forward Angel Reese by fans in the crowd.” Indystar reported that the alleged racist comments were not related to the flagrant foul.
Although Staley has been associated with South Carolina since 2008, her impact extends beyond the SEC. She coached the U.S. women’s basketball team to a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is associated with numerous past and present women’s basketball players.
Sometimes, Staley also uses her own platform to comment, as she did when Clark was a rookie.
In May 2024, there was a lot of discussion around Clark and physics in the league, prompting Staley to write about X urging those who talk about the WNBA to make sure they watch more than just one or a few games.
“I hope all the ‘talking heads’ are tuned into the @WNBA Tonite games and tomorrow and the next nite and so on….. So they can equip themselves with a deeper feeling for this league. And all those opinions are great but let it come from watching the whole league,” Staley wrote.
On July 13, Staley was asked by TMZSports who should win the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, to which Staley said, “They’re both having good years—don’t get me wrong, if I had to pick a Rookie of the Year at this time… today, it’s Angel. No question. What she’s been able to do with the double-doubles.”
Clark received 66 of the 67 Rookie of the Year votes, and Reese received the other.
Reese plays alongside former South Carolina star center Kamilla Cardoso on the Sky, and Clark plays alongside former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston on the Fever. There are nine former Staley players in the WNBA this season, spanning seven different teams.
