"I Gotta Hate Caitlin Clark" - Angel Reese's Former Teammate on Fever, Sky Stars

"I Gotta Hate Caitlin Clark" - Angel Reese's Former Teammate on Fever, Sky Stars originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

While they play different positions and have very different play styles, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese have been compared since college. Meeting back-to-back years in the NCAA tournament, Clark and Reese faced off in the 2023 National Championship game before a 2024 rematch in the Regional Final.

That 2023 title matchup between LSU and Iowa included the infamous “You can’t see me” gesture that Reese directed toward Clark in the closing moments of the game. That moment was discussed nationally for weeks and still has an impact on many discussions surrounding these two players.

Clark and the Hawkeyes then eliminated Reese and the Tigers in 2024, which was the same year both players were made first round picks in the WNBA Draft. Clark went No. 1 overall to Indiana, while Reese went seventh to Chicago. 

The perceived rivalry between these two players, whether reasonable or not, has remained a talking point in their young WNBA careers. Recently addressing this during an appearance on Shannon Sharpe‘s Club Shay Shay podcast, Reese‘s former LSU teammate Flau’jae Johnson spoke on one thing she doesn’t like about the Reese-Clark conversation.

Agreeing with Sharpe, who brought up the dynamic of fans feeling the pressure to choose one of Clark or Reese to support, Johnson finished his sentence for him.

"If I like Caitlin, I gotta hate Angel," Sharpe began.

The two then said in unison, "If I like Angel, I gotta hate Caitlin."

Johnson called this dynamic "stupid" before adding, "You gotta appreciate both greatness. They're both breaking records... They both All-Stars. I hate being in the mix of that... You gotta hate the other. I just love greatness."

Johnson has a complicated history with Reese. The two won a National Championship together in 2023 when they defeated Clark and the Hawkeyes, but their personal relationship has been strenuous at times. 

During a September 2024 episode of her "Unapologetically Angel" podcast, Reese said she still supports Johnson, but added, "We aren’t as close as we used to be. And there’s no hard feelings or anything, but we aren’t as close."

Despite this, Johnson said she has love for both Clark and Reese, which is why she pushes back against the idea that a person can only support one of those two players.

Related: LeBron James Facing Backlash for Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Decision

Related: Angel Reese Turns Heads With Perceived Shot at Caitlin Clark Before WNBA All-Star Game

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.