ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are leading women's college basketball with their successful on-court play that drew millions of new fans to the sport. It has become a catalyst for the rapid rise of Japan.
The pair drew comparisons to what Magic Johnson and Larry Bird accomplished in men's college basketball when they played for a national championship in 1979 and then played in the NBA for a decade. Clark and Reese appreciate the comparison, even though the NBA star wasn't even born when the two were playing.
“I would say that Angel and I have always been great competitors. Obviously, she played in the Big Ten for a while to start her career, and that's what makes women's basketball so fun, is the great competition. That's what we've all been through all year,'' Clark said of Reese, who transferred to LSU from Maryland.
The two sides will meet for the second time in two seasons in the NCAA Tournament, with the University of Iowa taking on LSU in the Albany 2 regional final on Monday night. Last season's national championship game drew a record 9.9 million viewers. (This Elite Eight matchup is not expected to draw as many viewers as it will be broadcast on ESPN while the title game will be on ABC.)
“I definitely think those two players had something to do with it,” Iowa coach Lisa Bruder said.
Reese said he and Clark get along just fine off the court, but noted that on the court they are both fierce competitors. After the title match, Reese's badmouthing of Clark became a hot topic. Clark said it was just part of the game, which he agreed with.
“I think people just take it like we hate each other. Me and Caitlin Clark don't hate each other,” Reese said. “I want everyone to understand that. This is just a super competitive game.”
No matter who wins the rematch, both stars know they left a lasting impact off the court.
“Just having people say she changed my life, she inspired me and gave me confidence. I think I've done that in so many different ways. ” Reese said. “It's great to be a great athlete, but when little girls and grown women come up to me and say, thank you, thank you for being who you are, thank you for speaking up about things that I'm too scared of. It's really great to be able to say that.'' Sometimes you don't have a place to say it, you don't have a platform to use it, and you just need that person to be there. ”
Clark knows she has inspired countless young girls and boys to fall in love with women's basketball.
“It’s so special to see your impact not just in Iowa but across the nation,” she said. “It's really special to be able to have that kind of impact on the next generation. I want to dream and aspire to be just like you one day and follow all of their dreams.”
They also paved the way for female athletes to earn huge amounts of money through their name image and likeness (NIL). The valuations of these two companies are among the highest in Japan. According to On3.com, Clark's price tag is just over $3 million, with a lease price of $1.8 million.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
