On March 17, 2025, WNBA basketball village witnessed a new wave of controversy when Angel Reese, the star of Chicago Sky, could not hide the frustration after the home team’s decision on the transfer of Caitlin Clark’s presence to a larger stadium. This decision, recently announced, has pushed the tense relationship between the two prominent young talents of the tournament to a new level, while sparking mixed reactions from fans around the world.
It started when Chicago Sky announced that the matches in her hometown against Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark’s team, would no longer take place at Wintrust Arena with a capacity of 10,387 seats, but instead of United Center, Chicago Bulls’ home yard with a capacity of up to 20,917 spectators. This is the first time in WNBA history, Sky’s matches were held at this famous location. Two matches scheduled on June 7 and July 27 will be the focus of attention, when Clark and Reese, two stars who have confronted from college, continue their competition on the field professionally.
Angel Reese, who had an impressive rookie season in 2024 with an average of 13.6 points and 13.1 times catching the ball on each match, seemed to feel overshadowed by the attention for Clark. Caitlin Clark, the best rookie in 2024 of Indiana Fever, has brought unprecedented attraction to WNBA with the ability to score and create superior, and record viewers in her matches. The relocation of the location is considered a move to meet the increasing audience needs, especially when Clark appears, but this makes Reese feel abandoned in his own team.
On social networks, Reese is said to have expressed disappointment through hidden posts, although there is no official statement from her. Fans quickly divided into two opinions. One side supports Reese, saying that she deserves to be honored commensurate with her talent and contribution to Chicago Sky. “Angel is the soul of the team, how can she let her feel like this?” A fan commented on X. Meanwhile, another faction welcomed Sky’s decision, arguing that expanding the field scale is necessary to take advantage of Clark’s attraction and promote the development of women’s basketball. “This is an opportunity for WNBA to reach further, don’t turn it into an individual,” another responded.
The competition between Reese and Clark is not new. From the NCAA final in 2023, when Reese and LSU defeated Clark and Iowa, both became the focus of attention. The gestures of confrontation on the pitch, like when Reese pointed to the ring finger to mock Clark, warmed the battle between the two stars. In the WNBA 2024 season, Clark’s Indiana Fever won 3-1 against Chicago Sky in 4 confrontations, making the competition fierce. Now, with the upgrade of the Clark’s matches, the question is whether Reese can prove her value to regain the glory, or she will continue to be covered by Clark’s shadow.
Chicago Sky explained that this decision reflects WNBA’s “growth” and is an opportunity to attract more audiences. However, this move also poses a challenge in balancing the promotion of stars like Clark and preserving solidarity in the team, especially with talents like Reese. Meanwhile, Clark remained neutral, once said in an interview with Time that she did not understand why people exaggerated the competition between the two, because they didn’t even play the same position on the pitch.
Anyway, this incident has heated the air before the 2025 season. The matches between Sky and Fever are not only a war on the field but also a story about recognition, reputation and influence in the female basketball village. With Reese, this could be a motivation for her to explode even more, and for fans, they were waiting to see which talent would really shine when the stage light was turned on at United Center. One thing for sure: Women’s basketball is entering a new era, where stars like Reese and Clark are not only playing but also shaping the future of this sport.
