Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, who was the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA draft, and fellow draft mate Angel Reese who went No. 7 to the Chicago Sky will forever be linked.
That stems from their battles on the hardwood in college, facing off in back-to-back NCAA Tourneys, with each securing a victory against each other. Now they’re both set to embark on their professional journeys, and while both are very deserving of being where they are, the two franchises that drafted them handled their introductory press conferences completely different.
Cailtin Clark Presser Was A Blast, Angel Reese’s Was A Bummer
Clark was drafted to a place where basketball is life, as those in “NapTown” eat, sleep and breathe the game. They’re hungry for a winner and will do whatever it takes to have one. That was evident in how her introduction presser was handled.
As for Reese, she was drafted to a city in “ChiTown” that also loves the game, but her presser lacked all of the fanfare of Clark’s. And based on the effect both have had on women’s basketball; the Sky could’ve done better.
Fever Pitch For Clark: Bells And Whistles Included
Clark’s presser looked like it was planned since the team knew it would have the No. 1 pick and Clark would be the choice.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes star was driven to the presser in a luxury vehicle where the team laid out the red carpet. That wasn’t all, as the Fever had plenty of fans in attendance to cheer on the new face of their franchise.
It was a party to welcome Clark, whose rise to stardom has been nothing short of meteoric.
Clark took it all in stride and looked at ease despite the amount of pressure she’s already under to perform. Speaking with reporters following her first training camp practices, a confident Clark said this about the difference between college and WNBA.
“It’s definitely different, but that’s what you expect when you start a new chapter in your life,” Clark said.
But the sharpshooter says she loves it and can’t wait until the season begins.
“It’s fast, fast shot clock, but I think all of you know that’s how I like to play. So I think it suits my game pretty well. It’s a fast pace, lot faster than college, and you’ve got to learn quicker because you’ve got to get your mind on Friday.”
One Twitter/X user said: “I’m disgusted with the press conference put on by @chicagosky for @Reese10Angel
That was unacceptable on so many levels for so many reasons!!
Chicago Sky should be embarrassed!!!!!! Angel Reese deserves better than that!”
Gray Cloud In Sky For Reese
While Clark was treated like basketball royalty by the Fever, the Sky didn’t do much of anything to welcome Reese to the Windy City. The “Bayou Barbie” as Reese was often referred to at LSU, seemingly had her presser held in what looked like a high school gym somewhere in Chicago. To make matters even worse, there were only about three or four media members in attendance to welcome her.
One has to wonder if teammate Kamilla Cardoso who was chosen No. 4 overall also has one to forget. While it’s highly plausible that she did, she isn’t Reese in the form of visibility and exposure to the game. C’mon, Sky, Reese and Clark both sold out of their jerseys just days following the WNBA draft. Teams are even moving games to bigger venues in anticipation of Clark and even Reese coming to play their teams.
For this alone Reese deserved better, and it’s a shame that the folks in Indianapolis got the memo but those in Chicago didn’t.
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