After War of Words, Kim Mulkey Recalls “Generational” Caitlin Clark’s NCAA Final Clash With Angel Reese

LSU Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey has been involved in a subtle war of words with Iowa State’s Caitlin Clark. Mulkey appeared to take a shot at Clark last month, and Clark didn’t back down. But in a recent press conference, Mulkey labeled Clark a generational talent while recalling her run in the final four last year.

Speaking to the media on February 7 ahead of their road game with Vanderbilt, Kim Mulkey praised Clark when her statistical dominance on the court was brought up. She said, “Let’s make it perfectly clear. Clark is a generational player. When I saw her in the final four last year – it was the first time I’ve ever seen her in person – she’s on pace to break every record, men or women.”

Considering Caitlin Clark is just two games away from her regular average to surpass Kelsey Plum, becoming the leading women’s scorer in NCAA Division 1 history is within reach for the Iowa player. However, this praise came just a month after Kim Mulkey took a seemingly indirect gig at Clark, totally in contrast to what the LSU coach had to say now.

Last month, after the Tigers’ 17-point win over the Texas A&M Aggies, which saw all five players in the starting lineup reach double-digits scoring, Mulkey said, “Nobody’s taking 40 shots a game like you see across the country. We’re not that kind of team.” Although she didn’t mention Clark, many believed this to be a thinly veiled shot at her, who responded in kind.

“That’s not something I worry about,” said Clark. “The people that I really care about, the people that I love, they always have my back. Those are the people that are really going to matter to me.”

Clark’s Iowa went against Mulkey and Angel Reese’s LSU in the final of last year’s NCAA national championship, where the Tigers won the title – its first in program history. LSU may have ended Iowa’s title run that day, but it was the start of a rivalry that everyone wants to see more of.

Read More: As Caitlin Clark Edges Closer to NCAA History, Kelsey Plum Drops’ Words of Wisdom’

Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese: A rivalry that could be for the ages

Baltimore native Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark have been in the limelight since their viral clash in last year’s title competition. However, Angel Reese’s antics towards Caitlin Clark have put her under severe criticism. The controversy arose with Reese’s hand-waving “you can’t see me” gesture, which mimicked Clark’s celebration from earlier in the tournament.

While Reese received widespread criticism for it, Clark defended her rival. In an interview after the championship game, where LSU prevailed 102-85, she said, “I don’t think Angel should be criticized at all. I think everybody knew there was going to be a little trash talk in the entire tournament. It’s not just me and Angel. We’re all competitive. We all show our emotions in a different way.” Following the NCAA final, Clark and Reese are still the talk of the town.

As the Iowa guard defended Angel Reese, she also praised her, calling her a “tremendous” player. And Reese returned the favor. “One day, hopefully, me and her can be teammates because she is a great player and a great shooter and a great person and a great teammate,” she said. With all the hype around them, the anticipation for another game between them is palpable. And there’s a chance they’ll cross paths again in March Madness.

Following the 2022-23 season, Caitlin Clark swept the national player of the year awards. Add to that Kim Mulkey’s recent comments about Caitlin Clark. Well, these could light a fire in Angel Reese’s belly, adding another twist to their ongoing rivalry.

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