Megan Rapinoe Praises Angel Reese for Playing ‘Villain’ While Addressing Caitlin Clark Beef Rumors

The excitement for the forthcoming NCAA women’s basketball game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the LSU Tigers has seized the entire town. However, the attention remains fixated on the rivalry between the stars from their respective sides, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. Even after a clarification that both ‘don’t hate each other,’ Reese’s eagerness to ‘take the hit’ prompted USWNT icon Megan Rapinoe to heap praise on her for clarifying the feud rumors.

The former NWSL star took to Instagram stories, where she shared a clip of LSU Tiger star Reese fending off allegations about her on-court beef with Hawkeyes’ Clark ahead of the Elite 8 match. Additionally, Rapinoe wrote a caption saying, “THESE KIDS ARE LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF THE NARRATIVES (side split and angel emoji).” But what did the 21-year-old American basketballer clarify? 

In the presser, the Tiger star was asked to clarify her gesture towards Clark with a John Cena-style ‘You can’t see me’ hand signal as LSU secured their victory over Iowa in last year’s national championship game. “Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. It’s just a super competitive game. Once I get between those lines, there’s no friends.” Reese acknowledged trash-talking to get inside the opposition’s head but insisted that it would never extend beyond the court. 

“I don’t think people really realize that. That’s fine, I’ll take the villain role. I’ll take the hit for it,” she said. Insisting on it for the sake of the growth of women’s basketball, she concluded, “You either like it or you don’t.” Interestingly, Reese’s succinct response to the media wasn’t the only thing that impressed Rapinoe, as she was once dazzled by Clark as well. 

Caitlin Clark once left Megan Rapinoe in awe

It’s no secret that over the years, Caitlin Clark has made quite a name for herself in realm of the NCAA women’s basketball as well as for her college. During the 2020–21 season, the Point Guard gave such an enthralling performance that it led Megan Rapinoe to give her special commendation. The 2X World Champion once wrote on X, “That Caitlin Clark is a show!! Will be fun to watch for so many years! Congrats to the whole @IowaWBB team and coaching staff!” Certainly, Rapinoe’s prediction of Clark reaching heights did come true.

The NCAA all-time leading scorer, the Big Ten all-time leader in points and assists, and the all-time leader in 30+ point performances (56) in men’s and women’s college basketball over the last 25 seasons—all these titles serve as a testament to the remarkable career she has forged thus far. Even today, there is no stopping Clark, who frequently grabs the spotlight with her captivating performances. With the upcoming clash against the LSU Tigers and her arch-rival Angel Reese, she will undoubtedly be aiming to leave her mark once again.

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