Caitlin Clark and Cheryl Reeve have been inextricably linked since before Clark's first preseason game.
The WNBA is bursting with All-World caliber talent. That doesn't just apply to players, either.
There are a host of impressive tacticians making their mark in the women's game nowadays. All gurus, young and old alike, share a common North Star — Lynx heach coach Cheryl Reeve.
Reeve is one of the W's best coaches. She has six WNBA titles under her belt, as well as upwards of 300 wins across her career, the second-most in league history.
Reeve's resume is as strong as it comes in the women's game. Not only is Reeve one of the sport's best play-callers, she's also decisive — a trait that best came to pass when interacting with Fever phenom Caitlin Clark during the 2024 season.
Here's what you need to know about Reeve, Clark, and the ties they have with one another.
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Caitlin Clark-Cheryl Reeve relationship
As two of the WNBA's finest talents in their respective roles, Clark and Reeve have a few overlapping qualities. That doesn't mean they're all that close, though.
Reeve and Clark's names are inextricably linked to one another, held down by a pair of notable decisions and some interesting soundbites along the way.
The duo first crossed paths in the preseason, albeit in a fairly subtle way. The W wasted little time marketing Clark and the Fever, placing major emphasis on her preseason matchups — a preview of what was to come.
Often, that exposure would come at the expense of other franchises, including the Lynx. Ahead of Clark's preseason debut, the WNBA pulled out all the stops to ensure eyes were fixed on her and her team. That wasn't the case for Minnesota or Chicago, whose joust with one another wasn't available to watch anywhere. Reeve took to X to remind W fans that they, too, were playing — even if the league didn't want to make it known.
"ALSO in action tonight - the Lynx vs the Sky 7pm CST," Reeve wrote on X. "Though fans won't be able to watch, Lynx fans can go to the Lynx app to follow along via play by play. Or if you are in market, come to the game...as we start the season off right."
Was Reeve throwing shade? Perhaps, but it didn't seem to be directed at Clark as much as the WNBA for failing to adequately market the Lynx vs. Sky game.
Reeve's tweet came into sharp focus as the Olympics neared. Reeve, the head coach of the U.S. women's national team, was queried relentlessly about Clark's Olympic prospects. Minnesota's boss was complimentary of her skillset and contribution to the sport's growth, but she was noncommittal about Clark's chances of landing on the roster.
"I'm wearing Lynx. And I'm the head coach of the national team, but I'm not the chair of the committee," Reeve said after an Indiana-Minnesota matchup on July 14, 2024. "Anybody want to venture into anything else?
Ultimately, Clark missed out on the roster. As head coach, Reeve didn't have roster-setting powers, but among pro-Clark crowds, her prior comments were evidence of a broader USA Basketball collusion against Clark.
Cheryl Reeve's Olympics comments on Caitlin Clark
Reeve was made the target of much of the venom regarding the selection committee's decision to leave Clark off the plane to Paris. She was uncompromising as she faced the music.
When asked whether she second-guessed the committee's decision, Reeve was clear:
"No," Reeve said.
USA basketball chair member Jen Rizzotti offered additional insight into Clark's snub, telling reporters that the move to leave Clark off the roster was motivated by purely basketball decisions — namely, how she'd fit in Reeve's system.
"It would be irresponsible for us to talk about her in a way other than how she would impact the play of the team," Rizzotti said. "Because it wasn't the purview of our committee to decide how many people would watch or how many people would root for the U.S. It was our purview to create the best team we could for [Reeve]."
There was a compelling argument for and against Clark to be on the roster at the time. She struggled with turnovers and efficiency mightily during the first half of the season, and Indiana got off to a slow start, dropping eight of its first nine matchups. Still, there were enough flashes to show that Clark was on the cusp of WNBA stardom.
Should Clark have been on the roster? Probably. She earned All-WNBA First Team honors upon the conclusion of the season, effectively cementing herself as the league's finest guard. Diana Taurasi barely played in the tourney, while Chelsea Gray's health was an area of concern prior to the start of pool play.
Nevertheless, Reeve and the Americans captured gold on the glistening Paris hardwood. So, it's hard to have too many complaints about the front office's decision.
Why Caitlin Clark traded Cheryl Reeve for All-Star Game
Clark's decision to part ways with Reeve following the All-Star draft took many by surprise. To some, it was evidence that Reeve's "feud" with Clark is real, not imagined.
That could be true. But Rizzotti cited fit as the reason for Clark's absence from Olympic play. Whether you consider those words to be edicts is subjective, but Clark's move brought the personalities back into the limelight.
So, did Clark deal Reeve because of their "rivalry?" It's a possibility, but her move can also be considered a sporting one. Reeve is Napheesa Collier's coach, giving both player and coach an opportunity to strike up the same partnership that has earned them acclaim in Minneapolis.
Category: Basketball
