It’s amazing how fast narratives can shift in sports. A single season, a playoff run, or even one unforgettable performance can rewrite what people thought they knew. And in the case of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, the two most electrifying rookies the WNBA has seen in decades, the hot takes are already being exposed for what they were: premature, dismissive, and now flat-out embarrassing.

Not long ago, tweets circulated mocking Angel Reese, suggesting that a rivalry between her and Caitlin Clark could only exist “if Reese was good at basketball.” The implication was clear: Clark was the true star, and Reese was just a side character riding the wave of notoriety. But if you’ve watched the WNBA this season, you know how wrong that narrative was. Reese has not only proven she belongs—she has shown she’s every bit as impactful, every bit as box-office, and every bit as elite as Clark.

The Rise of Two Phenomena

To understand how we got here, you have to rewind to college. Caitlin Clark was breaking records at Iowa, pulling up from the logo with Steph Curry-like range, dropping triple-doubles, and dragging her team to back-to-back national championship games. She became the face of women’s college basketball, drawing sold-out crowds and ratings never before seen in the women’s game.

Meanwhile, Angel Reese was dominating in her own right at LSU. She led the Tigers to a national title, broke rebounding records, and carried herself with a level of confidence and charisma that made her both beloved and polarizing. Reese wasn’t the shooter Clark was, but she had an identity: a relentless glass-crasher, an elite finisher, and someone who understood the entertainment side of basketball as well as anyone.

When the two clashed in the 2023 NCAA Championship, it was Clark’s offensive fireworks versus Reese’s all-around dominance. LSU won the game, and Reese’s now-iconic “You can’t see me” gesture toward Clark instantly made the rivalry viral.

Draft Day Expectations

Fast forward to the WNBA draft, and the storylines were obvious. Caitlin Clark went No. 1 overall to the Indiana Fever, hailed as the savior of a franchise and the future of the league. Reese went seventh to the Chicago Sky, framed by some as a gamble—a good player with hustle and attitude, but perhaps not someone who would change a franchise.

Analysts said Clark would be a superstar; they said Reese would be a role player. Fans bought into the dichotomy. Social media amplified it.

But the WNBA season had other plans.

Angel Reese’s Rookie Impact

From her first games with the Chicago Sky, Reese silenced critics. She didn’t just rebound—she rebounded at historic levels. Game after game, Reese pulled down double-digit boards, often against the league’s most seasoned veterans. She wasn’t intimidated. She wasn’t tentative. She was fearless.

By midseason, Reese had racked up one of the longest streaks of consecutive double-doubles ever recorded by a rookie. She became a walking guarantee of points and rebounds, bringing energy, physicality, and toughness that made Chicago competitive every night.

While Clark dazzled with threes and flashy assists, Reese’s impact was rooted in grit and reliability. She made her teammates better by creating extra possessions, drawing fouls, and setting the emotional tone.

And here’s the kicker: she did it while still selling jerseys, filling arenas, and generating headlines. For all the talk that Clark was the league’s lone superstar, Reese showed she was every bit as marketable. Kids wore her braids. Fans packed arenas to see her. Media outlets flocked to cover her postgame interviews. She was—and is—box office.

Why the Comparison Matters

At first glance, comparing Clark and Reese might feel like comparing apples and oranges. Clark is a guard; Reese is a forward. Clark is a scorer; Reese is a rebounder. But what makes the comparison fair is their impact. Both have reshaped the WNBA in their own way. Both have created storylines that transcend basketball. Both are building fanbases that will carry the league into the future.

And that’s where those old takes—like the viral tweet dismissing Reese—aged so poorly. The idea that Reese wasn’t “good enough” for a rivalry now feels laughable. Not only is she good enough, she’s essential. Without her, the Clark storyline would lack its perfect counterpart. Rivalries are what drive sports, and Reese is the rival Clark needed to elevate the WNBA into mainstream conversation.

Changing the Narrative

The beauty of sports is that no narrative is permanent. When Reese declared herself “Bayou Barbie,” critics dismissed her confidence. When she jawed at Clark, they called her unsportsmanlike. When she slipped to seventh in the draft, they questioned her pro ceiling.

Now? Those same critics are scrambling to adjust. They’re acknowledging her dominance on the glass. They’re praising her leadership in Chicago. They’re admitting that the WNBA is better, stronger, and more exciting because Reese is part of it.

And as for the “she’s not on Clark’s level” chatter? The numbers, the impact, and the attention speak for themselves. She is on Clark’s level—just in a different way.

The Rivalry’s Future

What makes this story even better is that it’s only beginning. Clark and Reese are rookies. They’ll face off for the next decade or more, their matchups becoming must-see TV. Every stat line will be compared. Every head-to-head game will be dissected. Every moment of trash talk will go viral.

This isn’t just a basketball rivalry—it’s a cultural one. It’s Bird vs. Magic, LeBron vs. Steph, Serena vs. Sharapova. It’s two players with different styles, different personalities, and different fanbases colliding on the same stage.

And like those historic rivalries, this one won’t just elevate the players. It will elevate the sport.

Why It Matters Beyond Basketball

The WNBA has long been searching for its breakout mainstream moment. It has produced legends—Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Tamika Catchings, Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird—but none quite cracked into the global cultural consciousness the way Clark and Reese are doing.

Together, they’re bringing record ratings, new sponsorships, and unprecedented media attention. Reese, in particular, is drawing in fans who see themselves in her unapologetic confidence, her fashion, and her willingness to speak her mind. She’s proof that being different isn’t a weakness—it’s a selling point.

Clark represents one pathway to superstardom: the dazzling scorer. Reese represents another: the magnetic personality and relentless competitor. Together, they form a perfect balance.

Conclusion: From Dismissed to Dominant

“This aged so poorly” isn’t just a phrase—it’s a reality check. The takes that dismissed Angel Reese as a sideshow or an overrated role player look foolish now. She’s proven she belongs, proven she can dominate, and proven she’s every bit the star Caitlin Clark is.

The truth is simple: the WNBA doesn’t have one savior—it has two. And if you’re still doubting Angel Reese, you haven’t been paying attention.

Because the evidence is right there, night after night, rebound after rebound, double-double after double-double: Angel Reese is on Caitlin Clark’s level. And the league has never been more exciting.