INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JUNE 1: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky look on during the game on June 1, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark remains spicy.

The Chicago Sky rookie forward was called for a flagrant 1 foul after hitting Clark in the head during their matchup on Sunday.

It was an easy call for the officials, as Reese clearly whacked the Indiana Fever rookie across the head while she was attempting a layup.

Normally, that would be the end of the discussion. But given that Reese and Clark have a rivalry dating back to their college days—and given that literally anything involving Clark at this point is accompanied by a society-wide discourse that includes just about everything but basketball—this particular foul divided opinion, though mostly people were bracing for the discussions to follow:

While it appeared that Reese was just attempting to block the shot, or making a legitimate basketball play, hitting another player in the head on such an attempt still qualifies as a flagrant 1. It was the right call.

Unfortunately at the moment, WNBA discourse has become a tinder box for hot takes and deeper political agendas, sparked by everything from charter flights to Clark not being included on Team USA for the Paris Olympics this summer.

So the expectation—even after a basketball foul that was rightly upgraded to a flagrant 1—is that Sunday’s exchange between the players will set off more heated discussions.

The rivalry between Reese and Clark is good for the sport. The two will be ambassadors for the WNBA for years to come. A bit of spice livens up those matchups.

As for the rest of the stuff surrounding everything the two seem to do, well, we’re all getting a bit fatigued by those takes and dissertations. Sometimes, basketball is just basketball.