Was Angel Reese’s ostentatious nasty on Caitlin Clark ‘just part of basketball’?

The Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever had their 2nd face-off of the WNBA season on Sunday, offering previous college competitors Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark another opportunity to fight it out.

During the match, Reese was called for a ostentatious nasty after a tough hit on Clark while attempting to block her shot at the rim. Reese missedouton the ball entirely and rather linked with Clark’s head.

The call was initially simply a typical nasty, however after a video evaluation, the authorities updated it to a Flagant 1.

Following the Fever’s 91-83 win, both Reese and Clark resolved the struck. Reese called it “a basketball play,” and Clark echoing her remarks, stating, “It’s simply part of basketball.”

But both gamers understood the nasty was going to stimulate discussion, with Reese stating: “I’m constantly going for the ball. But y’all going to play that clip 20 times before Monday.”

And that’s precisely what tookplace. 

The clip went viral on social media, with some even calling for the suspension of the Sky forward, stating her hit was deliberate.

On Monday’s episode of “Speak,” co-host Emmanuel Acho began off with a message to those lookingfor the suspension.

“First let me clarify something: Angel Reese must not be suspended for that nasty. Let me disagreement that wild idea that hasactually been flowing on social media,” Acho stated.

The Sky have simply 2 ostentatious fouls this season, and both were called after strikes on Clark. The veryfirst was provided to guard Chennedy Carter in their June 1 loss to the Fever, after she provided a low-cost shot to Clark throughout an incoming play. The 2nd was the struck by Reese.

While the previous LSU star has stated in the past that she and the previous Iowa star do not hate one another, Acho believes Reese’s current actions are speaking louder than her words.

“Angel’s actions are beginning to speak so loud, we can not hear what is being stated,” Acho mentioned after referencing Reese cheering after the veryfirst ostentatious hit on Clark and remarks on social media about taking on the “bad guy” function.

While “The Herd” host Colin Cowherd does think Clark is experiencing a type of “hazing,” he did concur with Reese and Clark that difficult fouls are simply a part of the videogame. 

“It’s a ostentatious nasty, she got up and played,” Cowherd stated.

“It’s part of basketball … every market has got a little awful side … a little tribal side. This is it in basketball.”

While fouls are a part of the videogame, Cowherd thinks the “outrage” that hasactually surrounded the WNBA this season, generally when it comes to Clark, is a bit overblown.

“The ladies are figuring out how to dealwith it. It’s the individuals who parachute into this sport that neverever seen it that puton’t comprehend the chippiness that you get in the WNBA,” Cowherd stated.

The Sky and Fever have one more routine season faceoff setup on June 23 at 3 p.m. ET.

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