Sky's Angel Reese takes heat for cheering Caitlin Clark hard foul, delivering rough box out (an)

It was Reese and Clark’s first matchup against each other

Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese took heat on social media during Saturday’s 71-70 loss to the Indiana Fever amid an incident between her teammate Chennedy Carter and Caitlin Clark.

Clark was on the receiving end of a hard hip-check from Carter in the third quarter. As the whistle blew, the ESPN broadcast caught Reese getting up off the bench and appearing to cheer on Carter. She was also the first one to greet the veteran player as the quarter ended.

Angel Reese, #5 of the Chicago Sky, looks on against the Indiana Fever during the first quarter of the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 1, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Later, Reese knocked Clark down to the floor while trying to block out. Clark got up and looked over to the WNBA referee for a foul call. There was none.

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But there was a storm of criticism on social media of Reese during and after the game. She was called out for cheering on Carter’s alleged “cheap shot”

Carter said after the game that she wasn’t answering any questions about Clark.

Angel Reese, #5 of the Chicago Sky, looks on during the game against the Indiana Fever on June 1, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

Clark told reporters that she didn’t want to retaliate against any Sky players and possibly hurt her team’s chances of winning the game.

“I wasn’t expecting that, but it’s just, ‘Respond, calm down and let your play do the talking.’ It is what it is,” she said of the Carter incident, via the Indy Star.

Indiana’s win marked its first in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Each team in the in-season tournament will play five games against their conference rivals. The team from each conference with the top record will compete in the final with $500,000 in prize money on the line.

Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, smiles against the Chicago Sky during the third quarter in the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 1, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

All games are played during a two-week period from June 1 to June 13.