Sue Bird Shuts Down False Narratives Surrounding Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese WNBA Drama: “This Is Not New”
When Magic Johnson and Larry Bird entered the NBA in the 1980s, the league’s popularity skyrocketed. Their first NBA Finals matchup in 1984 drew a record-breaking audience, with Game 7 pulling in 40 million viewers on CBS. That was the kind of impact they had—not just as rivals, but as faces of a generation. Yet despite their intense on-court battles, Johnson and Bird built a deep, lasting friendship over time. Fast forward to today, and the WNBA is in Year 2 of witnessing a similar shift. It’s Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark who are commanding attention. But unlike their NBA predecessors, these superstars haven’t been as lucky. For them, the spotlight has come with an unfortunate twist: criticism and hate, amplified by the perceived rivalry. But, amidst the noise, a WNBA legend is stepping in with some much-needed perspective.
After a historic 19-season career that included leading the Seattle Storm to four championships (2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020), Sue Bird has the experience—580 games’ worth, to be exact—to judge this situation with clarity. So when Taylor Rooks of Sports Illustrated asked Bird what she thought was “addictive” but ultimately distracts from what’s happening on the court, Bird didn’t hesitate. “Sadly, in women’s sports, for a lot of reasons, once it does cross over, it’s gone. We can’t even get it back. And it’s hard to articulate… I think a big part of it is people not understanding that our league—the WNBA—is physical and it’s competitive the same way you’ve watched men’s sports be physical and competitive for all these years,” she said.
And Sue isn’t wrong. The WNBA has long been known for its intensity, especially in the paint and during gritty defensive matchups. Just look back at the Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty game last season. Liberty won 88–75, but not before a whole lot of fouls were called. That’s physicality in action. And it’s not just isolated incidents. Because when Sue Bird says, “This isn’t new,” she’s got a point. The league has always been physical. Remember the infamous incident now dubbed as the “Malice in the Palace II”? Remember Cheryl Ford and Candace Parker? Yes, the Sparks-Shock brawl dates back to 2008. And it is understandable, too, why the players are always on the edge. After all, with a shorter regular season compared to other professional basketball leagues, each WNBA game carries more weight.
And if you are still not convinced, then Arike Ogunbowale has a message.
“Go watch golf,” Arike said last year after having been on the receiving end of the physicality. “I don’t know how long you’ve been around the WNBA but this has been like this since my rookie year”. She also brought in an interesting perspective, saying that W probably only gets criticized more for the physicality because women are stereotyped as “catty”. She further made it crystal clear, saying, “it’s just basketball”.
Also, Bird’s insight doesn’t just come from watching—it comes from living it. After all, she was part of one of the WNBA’s most iconic rivalries: Sue Bird vs. Diana Taurasi. She practically wrote the book on W rivalry. “Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to literally punch Diana [Taurasi] in the face on the court? My best friend! Hate her on the court,” Bird joked on a recent podcast episode.
Despite that fierce competition, their friendship remained strong. In their final regular-season meeting in July 2022, Taurasi honored Bird with custom sneakers, and the two held a joint press conference—a historic first for opposing players—reflecting on their careers and deep mutual respect. That’s the kind of rivalry Sue was talking about—fierce on the court, but grounded in respect off it. And the same could be true for Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, if people would just look beyond the headlines. But….
Is there a rivalry between Clark and Reese??
No doubt, the rivalry angle has been around for a pretty long time and was enhanced when Reese famously flashed the “You can’t see me” gesture to Clark. But in reality, there’s no real rivalry. Their competitiveness and fire are strictly limited to the court. As Clark herself puts it best, “I’m pretty sure the only people that view this as a rivalry is all of you. Like, to us, it’s just a game of basketball.”
That was Clark, even in her first year, shutting down the narrative about a supposed rivalry between the two. Off the court, both stars have consistently shown mutual respect. Whether it was Reese congratulating Clark on breaking the NCAA scoring record or Clark defending Reese against unwarranted criticism, their actions speak louder than any headlines.
via Imago
And if you think it’s just Clark denying the rivalry rumors, it’s not. Even Chi-Town Barbie has addressed the matter multiple times. “Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It’s just a super competitive game,” she clarified. And not just that, there’s no real basis for comparison other than the fact that they’re two highly competitive athletes.
Reese is a rebounding machine, while Clark is a scoring phenom, known for her deep logo threes and dazzling assists. But they play in completely different positions. As Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale said, “They don’t even guard each other. So it’s not really a rivalry. But it’s just funny how people hype it up.”
So, the perceived rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese is more a product of media and fan speculation than actual tension. Their mutual respect and shared goal of elevating women’s basketball continue to define their relationship, on and off the court. And that’s why it’s nothing new for Sue Bird.
