The WNBA has officially become the Caitlin Clark show, folks! Remember those good ol’ college days when Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were neck-and-neck, battling it out for NCAA supremacy? Well, it seems that rivalry is spilling over into the pros – and not in a good way for Angel. While Reese is out here nursing a wrist injury and complaining about her paycheck not covering rent, Clark is out here bagging million-dollar deals like she’s collecting Monopoly money.
From College Queens to Professional Dreams…Well, Sort of.
These two rookies stormed the WNBA like they owned the place, making headlines with their impressive stats. Clark was breaking triple-double records, and Reese? Well, she was busy collecting double-doubles like stamps. But let’s get real – Caitlin had the last laugh, snatching the Rookie of the Year title while poor Angel’s season ended prematurely because, you know, her wrist had other plans. Ouch!
And if that wasn’t enough salt in the wound, Caitlin’s name is now attached to a million-dollar “Messi-like” deal with Unrivaled, the super-exclusive league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. That’s right, Caitlin Clark might soon make more in a side hustle than her actual WNBA paycheck. How does that feel, Angel?
The Million-Dollar “Clark Effect”
Word on the street is Unrivaled is throwing cash at Caitlin like it’s going out of style, ready to offer her a deal that could top $1 million. Yep, you read that right – a jaw-dropping, eye-watering sum that makes her WNBA salary of $76,535 look like pocket change. Front Office Sports called it “Messi-like” – you know, as in “Messi-money,” aka, “more money than Angel Reese can dream of right now.”
Apparently, they’re so confident in Caitlin’s star power, they think she’ll put Unrivaled on the map. The league’s president, Alex Bazzell, is already talking about how they’re preparing to throw this “historic” offer at her. But Caitlin’s too busy living her best life on the golf course to care about basketball deals right now. “One thing at a time, people. Can’t always be moving on to the next,” she coolly told the press, likely while sinking a birdie.
Meanwhile, In Angel Reese’s Corner…
Angel, on the other hand? Well, she’s out here telling Vibe Magazine that her WNBA paycheck of $73,435 “doesn’t even cover rent.” Yikes. But don’t worry, Reese isn’t just scraping by – she’s thriving thanks to her influencer Instagram account, some juicy brand endorsements, and her podcast. She even threw in the comment “hating pays the bills, baby.” You gotta respect the hustle.
Though Angel’s season didn’t pan out like she planned – thanks to that pesky wrist injury, subpar shooting, and a team that struggled to catch a break – she’s not giving up on her hoop dreams. Despite their heated rivalry, Reese isn’t ruling out the possibility of playing alongside Clark one day. “We’ve been playing against each other since we were kids. We’re both great competitors… I hope one day we can be teammates.”
Caitlin’s Million-Dollar Move… and Angel’s Reality Check
While Reese is hoping for a dream team scenario, Clark is already a walking dollar sign. She averaged a cool 19.2 points per game in her rookie WNBA season, not to mention leading the league with 8.4 assists. The Indiana Fever went from a pitiful 0-5 start to making their first playoffs appearance in eight years, and Caitlin had a lot to do with that.
Meanwhile, Reese? She’s a rebounding machine, but an injury-plagued team and her season-ending wrist drama meant she couldn’t quite live up to her own hype this year. Maybe next season, Angel. Maybe.
So, while Caitlin is eyeing that million-dollar paycheck, Angel’s left wondering if she’ll ever stop getting overshadowed by her college rival. One thing’s for sure: the “Caitlin Clark Effect” is real, and Angel’s just gonna have to live with it. Who knows – maybe next season, Reese will come back stronger… or at least figure out a way to get that rent paid.