Stephen A. Smith took a side in the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese debate
‘She Ain’t Caitlin Clark’: Stephen A. Smith Doesn’t Hold Back on Angel Reese originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese debate will probably remain a topic throughout the rest of their basketball careers—and possibly beyond. It all began in college when Reese hit Clark with the "you can’t see me" hand gesture after her LSU Tigers defeated Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the national championship game.
The debate escalated as both players began their WNBA careers, entering the league in the same draft class and going head-to-head in the 2024 Rookie of the Year race, which Clark ultimately won. Fast forward to this season—the opener between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky started with a bang when Clark was given a technical foul after sending Reese to the floor, prompting a visible reaction from Reese.
Fans have taken sides on social media, and the rivalry is something the WNBA hasn’t seen before, given the magnitude and attention surrounding both players. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith discussed it on Tuesday’s edition of his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show, admitting that Reese "ain’t Caitlin Clark."
"What we will acknowledge is, Angel Reese is popular and she's valuable," Smith said. "She ain't Caitlin Clark. She's not that player, and she's not the box office attraction that Caitlin Clark is. That's number one.
"Number two, because Caitlin Clark is that box office attraction, initially we thought that the league was being jeopardized because if she's not able to play every night, it compromises their numbers, revenue-wise, ratings-wise, you know, attendance-wise, etc. It compromises them." Notably, this is not the first time Smith has spoken along this line.
Stephen A. Smith Has Said It Before
Smith has been vocal about his stance on the two players for a while now, and even mentioned it two months ago on "The Rich Eisen Show."
"As much as we love Angel Reese because she is special, she's not Caitlin Clark as a player," Smith said. "Caitlin Clark is on a different level. We just have to own it. Angel Reese can rebound the basketball. She's a damn good player. She's got a bright future in the WNBA, but Caitlin Clark is next level.
"Angel Reese's popularity in large part is attributed to her behavior towards Caitlin Clark because when Caitilin Clark was busy taunting opponents a couple of years back before LSU smacked Iowa around in the national championship game or so, it was Angel Reese that was clapping back at Caitiln Clark once it was Caitlin Clark's turn to have her come up ends. And that's what made Angel Reese famous."
The Clark vs. Reese Debate Has Cooled Slightly Amid Clark’s Injury
The rivalry between Clark and Reese can be compared to the NBA’s Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, similar in that it began in college and helped elevate their sport to new heights. While the Bird-Magic rivalry lasted throughout their careers, it wasn’t always fiery. There were times when it cooled, particularly during Bird’s back problems from 1988 to 1992.
It’s still early in both Clark and Reese’s careers, but this season has been a clear example of that cooling effect. Clark has already missed 17 games for the Fever due to a quad strain and multiple groin injuries. Reese, meanwhile, has missed five games but has still made noise on the court, with multiple double-double records.
The next time the Fever and Sky will play each other is on Saturday, and fans are hopeful both players will be on the court. Tip-off in Indianapolis is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Related: WNBA Team Makes Roster Decision After Indiana Fever Game
Related: Chicago Sky Facing Angel Reese Decision After Third Straight Missed Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
