South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has recently commented on the ongoing rivalry between WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. On a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, Staley emphasized the significance of following the athletes’ lead and moving past the controversy.

She expressed:

“I think officiating is a hard job. It’s tough to determine if that was a Flagrant 1 or not. The dynamics between Angel and Caitlin are understood, and I believe it’s beneficial for our game. We should be treated like any other sport.”

During the Indiana Fever’s victory over the Chicago Sky on May 17, a hard foul by Clark on Reese was later reviewed and upgraded to flagrant, leading to an on-court confrontation. After the game, both players displayed a willingness to move on, calling it just a part of the sport. Caitlin Clark stated:

“Let’s not make it anything that it’s not; it was a good basketball play. I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. The refs made their decision, and that’s it.”

Staley hopes that new fans drawn in by Clark will explore the breadth of talent in women’s basketball. She advocates for expanding their focus beyond a single player, noting,

“I hope they’ll open their eyes to the talent that exists. The product is incredible and in high demand.”