The Rivalry Between Reese and Clark Continues: A Look at the ESPY Voting for Best Breakthrough Athlete’

Not a lot of players easily make a mark in basketball. But we have two strong women dominating the women’s basketball scene. They are the ever so talented, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Reese is making headlines around the world with her brilliant LSU title win; while Clark’s achievements this year are winning accolades from fans, globally. With the NCAA season far from starting soon, Clark and her newest rival, Angel Reese, will take center stage yet again and battle it out.

Interestingly, this time they will not be facing off on the basketball. Rather, the two exciting prospects have been nominated for the ‘Best Breakthrough Athlete‘ award at the 31st ESPY Awards.

Who are Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark?

Angel C. Reese is a shooting guard and small forward for LSU’s women’s basketball team., where NBA legends like Shaquille O’Neal have made a name. Coming from a basketball family, Reese showed an affinity for the game since childhood.

She attended Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland. The 6’3, 2023 NCAA champion is blessed with spectacular physical and athletic skills.

Showing signs of great potential since her early days, Reese was awarded the McDonald’s All-American honors in 2020. In fact, ESPN also ranked her #2 prospect in her class.

Born on May 6th, 2022, we also know the young talent as ‘Bayou Barbie’‘ because of her on and off-court persona. Living up to her name, she loves the color pink, and she loves to get her hair and nails done before games.

On the other hand, her rival Caitlin Clark represents the Iowa Hawkeyes from the Big Ten Conference. Clark came into the world on October 16, 2001, and similar to her adversary, she has been a recipient of McDonald’s All-American honors in the past.

Clark’s freshman season for Iowa was nothing less than legendary. Being an Iowa native, Clark effortlessly connects with the crowd. In fact, she was born in a town just two hours away from Iowa State’s campus.

Leading the nation in terms of scores, Clark won the Big Ten Freshman of the Year for 2021. All thanks to Clark’s brilliance and agility, Iowa reached the Final Four of March Madness after 30 years!

They face off yet again

The 2023 NCAA title match between the LSU Tigers and the Iowa Hawkeyes was an instant classic. In the last seconds of LSU’s 102-85 win, Reese pulled off WWE superstar John Cena’s iconic ‘You can’t see me’ move on Clark.

This led to an ugly controversy online, with fans bashing Reese for her antics. Fans also labeled her actions as ‘disrespectful’ later. The controversy sparked the attention of legends like Shaquille O’Neal, who had to intervene and defend the LSU starlet.

Months after this iconic faceoff, the two basketball prospects have been nominated in the same category for the 31st ESPY Awards. The Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly or the ESPYs is a yearly award show honoring exceptional performances in sports.

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Along with names like Julio Rodriguez and Brock Purdy, the two future women’s basketball stars will battle it out for the ‘Best Breakthrough Athlete’.

Reese and Clark: How They Got Nominated for the ESPY Awards

Angel Reese has instantly become one of the most popular women athletes in the world, considering her spectacular performances during the 2023 NCAA season.

The LSU Tigers star averaged 22.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. Thanks to her incredible performances, the LSU Tigers won their first-ever women’s NCAA title.

Despite failing to take her team over the finishing line, Clark’s performances this year have been creditable as well. The 5-foot-11 guard posted 27.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game during this season. Her passing has been immaculate this season. In fact, she has been compared to one of the greatest point guards ever, Stephen Curry.

Angel Reese or Caitlin Clark: Who Will You Choose?

Clark and Reese have both had equally incredible individual seasons for their respective college teams. Clark’s loss in the finals does not take away her brilliant numbers, which helped Iowa to a 29-6 record.

Moreover, she has the Big Ten Player of the Year award in her bag along with Nancy Lieberman Award for the best point guard in the country.

However, beating Reese to this award might be Clark’s biggest challenge yet. She has similar incredible numbers along with the title that matters the most, the NCAA title. Currently, she is also one of the most popular athletes in the country, which might give her an advantage.

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Who do you think deserves the award more? Let us know in the comments below.