Angel Reese sparks outrage as she smacks Caitlin Clark in the head

Angel Reese’s flagrant foul 1 on Caitlin Clark has divided women’s basketball fans.

On Sunday (June 16), Indiana Fever hosted The Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

The fiercely contested WNBA match saw the former reigning supreme with a 91-83 win over their opponents.

The latest Fever vs Sky game also pitted former college rivals Clark and Reese, both 22, against each other.

During the duo’s clash, Clark scored 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the floor and totted up nine assists and eight rebounds.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Sky rookie contributed 11 points, made 13 rebounds and five assists.

In the third quarter, around three minutes were remaining when Reese was called for a flagrant foul upon review after smacking Clark in the head.

At the time of the incident, it appeared both Reese and fellow Sky forward Isabelle Harrison had jumped from different directions to defend their hoop from their foe.

Reese seemed to miss the ball and instead sent Clark to the floor.

Initially, a common foul call was called but referees later upgraded it to a flagrant, type 1.

According to WNBA rules, a flagrant 1 foul is given for contact that is ‘interpreted to be unnecessary’.

When asked about the upgrade in a post-match press conference Reese defended her actions by saying: “It was a basketball play… I can’t control the refs. They affected the game obviously a lot.

"I'm always going for the ball, but y'all are going to play that clip, what, 20 times before Monday?"

Meanwhile, Clark - who was selected first overall by the Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft - defended her opponent and said it was ‘just part of basketball’.

Speaking to the press, the Point guard said: “It is what it is; she was trying to make a play on the ball.”

She continued to explain that she expects the game to sometimes ‘get a little feisty and physical’.

“That’s the way the game should be. But at the end of the day both teams are just trying to win.”

Following the incident, women’s basketball fans have come out in their droves to debate the flagrant 1 foul.

One user of X, formerly known as Twitter, wrote: “Angel Reese is literally looking up towards the ball as she swings. She missed, it happens. Let’s move on.”

A second said: “The harassment CC is receiving is unprecedented. I pray that this only makes her better!”

“Lawd we gone see that Angel Reese foul on Caitlin replayed ALL WEEK,” typed another.

A fourth said: “Am I the only one who didn’t think Angel Reese deserved an upgraded flagrant foul for this? She was going for the ball.

“At some point we have to recognize fouls happen in basketball and any aggressive sport.”

“Overreaction Sunday,” said another. “This was rightly called a flagrant but she was going for the ball/the block and missed.”

“Needed to be ejected and fined,” typed a sixth.

Following Fever’s victory over Sky, they currently sit in eighth place on the WBNA table, with the latter in ninth.

Christie Sides’ team next face the Washington Mystics in the league, while Teresa Weatherspoon’s side will host the Dallas Wings at the Wintrust Arena.