Caitlin Clark arch rival Angel Reese calling it quits on her rookie season over mysterious injury

In a shocking twist to the ongoing battle between former women’s college basketball rivals that crossed over into the pro ranks, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese abruptly announced that she was calling it quits on her rookie season.

The controversial star, who has bitterly dueled with her white rival Caitlyn Clark, said that she was shutting it down with the team stating that the reason for her bombshell was a wrist injury, depriving the sub-.500 squad of their biggest draw as they make a late push for a WNBA playoff spot.

“After undergoing further medical evaluation after the September 6 game against Los Angeles, Angel Reese has been ruled out for the rest of the 2024 season with a wrist injury,” the Chicago Sky said in a statement.

“What a year. I never would have imagined the last bucket of my rookie season would be a 3 but maybe that was God saying give them a taste of what they will be seeing more of in Year 2 lol,” Reese wrote in a Saturday night post to X.

“Through it all, I have showed that I belong in this league even when no one else believed. All I have ever wanted was to come into the W and make an impact. I can confidently say I have done that and will strive to keep doing so. I’m filled with emotions right now that I have a season-ending injury, but also filled with so much gratitude for what is next,” she added.

“Although this is God’s timing and not mine, I am finally able to give myself a physical and mental break. ‘God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers.’ “You’ll still see me being the biggest cheerleader on the sideline! And Unrivaled league, see you soon!” Reese said.

The former LSU Tigers standout was having a successful rookie campaign although her on-court exploits have paled in comparison to Clark, a generational talent who has brought attention to a league and a sport that few wanted to watch until her stellar arrival as the Fever’s top draft pick this year.

There’s been more than a bit of jealousy and pettiness on Reese’s part – as well as thuggery on the hardwood – and she just accused Clark’s fans of being racist and threatening her during a recent episode of her  “Unapologetically Angel” podcast.

“We’ve talked trash to each other in AAU, it’s been that, so I think it’s really just the fans, her fans, the Iowa fans, now the Indiana fans that are like, they ride for her and I respect that, respectfully,” she said of Clark. “But sometimes it’s very disrespectful. I think there’s a lot of racism when it comes to it and I don’t believe she stands on any of that.”

“But when you come, when it’s behind your name, that’s when a lot of people are like, oh I think ‘I don’t like her cause her fans are saying this, this, this.’ No, I don’t believe in her heart that she has hatred towards me, and I’m sure believes that I don’t have hatred towards her but I think her fanbase has gone, I’m talkin’ about like… it’s a lot,” Reese claimed.

The mysterious injury didn’t seem to affect her play on the court.

On Friday night in what would be her last action of the season, Reese tallied 24 points and 12 rebounds, her 26th double-double of the season, leading the Sky to a 92-78 home win against the Los Angeles Sparks that ended her team’s seven-game losing skid.

The Sky currently sits at 12-22 and is in a three-way battle for the WNBA’s final playoff spot.

Chris Donaldson

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