The Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese debate was one of the focal points of the recent WNBA season. Even Magic Johnson had to weigh in on the discussion as to who should be credited with the WNBA’s surge in popularity. While Clark was lauded for her role in bringing mainstream attention to the league, the Chi-Town Barbie has argued WNBA’s success isn’t down to “just one person.” But the Caitlin Clark Effect, once again trumped when rapper Ice Cube made her a jaw-dropping offer.

Back in April when the news broke that Ice Cube’s Big 3 league offered Clark a whopping $5 million for just eight games, it ignited a firestorm of debate. Given their rivalry, going back to their college days, the question was “Why not Angel Reese?” People obviously pointed to facts and figures that tilted the scales heavily in Clark’s favor. Out of the 23 games that reached 1 million viewers, the Fever star played in 20 of them. Now, Ice Cube has also opened up on their decision to prioritize Clark over Reese.

The rapper appeared on the Morning Hustle on Wednesday to talk about his Big 3 league and how the situation with Clark unfolded. As the conversation started, the host pointed out, “Some people were upset that you didn’t gave an offer to Angel Reese.”The hip-hop legend explained the decision was purely business.

“Well, like I said, it was a business decision,” he shared. “You know, I’d rather watch Angel play, but you know it wasn’t unlocking those dollars to bring her into the league like it would have with Caitlin, and that’s just how the sponsors were rolling. That’s just the reality of the business.”

Ice Cube also opened up on when the league made the offer to Maya Moore shortly after her retirement in 2023 and hinted that if made sense to them financially, they would make the offer to other WNBA players as well. “It’s just a business decision. If it makes sense you know for another WNBA player when they come around, we’ll do it if it don’t we won’t.”

Indeed, the numbers surrounding CC make it clear why Ice Cube bet big on her. Her record-breaking March Madness run with Iowa drew a peak of nearly 25 million viewers during the NCAA championship game, rivaling some of the biggest non-NFL broadcasts. 

However, her impact didn’t stop there. Joining the Indiana Fever, Clark took the team’s viewership from virtually non-existent to must-watch TV. Televised games involving Indiana Fever averaged 1.18 million viewers compared to 394,000 for all other games. The league averaged 657,000 viewers for the historic 2024 regular season. 

Clark filled up the arenas too. Before Clark’s arrival, Fever had the second-lowest average home attendance in the WNBA at 4,067. But this season, with Clark leading the charge, Fever saw a total of 340,715 fans turning up to watch them play at home, a single-season record for a WNBA team, averaging over 17,000 fans per game. Clark’s popularity was on display in away games as well.

In July, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces drew the largest WNBA crowd in 25 years, with 20,366 fans flocking to T-Mobile Arena to watch Clark in action. Two months before that, the New York Liberty set the WNBA record with $2 million in ticket revenue for their May 18 game with the Fever. Ice Cube, it appears wasn’t kidding when he said Clark’s presence means “dollars” raking in. But what did it make sense to not make an offer to Reese?

When Reese starred in Chicago’s defeat of Fever on June 23, 2.35 million fans tuned in, making it the most-watched WNBA game in 23 seasons. Reese shone bright in the spotlight scoring a career-high 25 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. The Chicago Sky forward has been vocal about deserving credit for the WNBA’s incredible surge in popularity.

In May, in a video posted by The Neighborhood Talk on Instagram, Reese said, “I’ve been dealing with this for two years now. Look where women’s basketball is. It’s because of me, too, and I want you to realize that…It’s not just because of one person.” While Reese remains defiant about her impact and perhaps rightfully so, there is no denying what Clark has brought to the league. NBA legend Michael Johnson also had his say on the Reese vs Clark debate in June. While he praised both the stars for increasing the league’s popularity, for Johnson, Clark just stood out.

“Those two, especially Caitlin, are definitely a direct result for what’s going on (in the WNBA). They’ve changed college basketball. The ratings don’t lie; the numbers don’t lie. Then we see it right now, probably more Caitlin than Angel, coming into the league because she’s selling out arenas. Caitlin is drawing 19,000. Angel isn’t there yet, but I’m sure she’ll get there,” Johnson shared in an interview with the Associated Press in July

Both athletes are generational talents, but Clark’s ability to pull massive audiences undoubtedly swayed Big3’s business-first approach. Still, at that time, even the offer as a whole didn’t sit well with many, and it quickly became a hot topic on sports shows and social media.

Kenyon Martin and Ice Cube’s son weigh In

On Gil’s Arena in March, former NBA star Kenyon Martin wasn’t shy about expressing his concerns. He questioned why Angel Reese, who has her own massive following and immense talent, wasn’t offered the same opportunity. “You got the young lady [at] LSU who’s pretty popular herself in her own right,” Martin said. “Why not offer it to her?”

Martin went on to critique the offer itself, suggesting that Clark’s skills might not translate well to a 3-on-3 format. “I feel like it’s a waste of her talent,” he added, also wondering why other WNBA stars like Lexie Brown or even Candace Parker weren’t approached instead. Meanwhile, Lexie Brown chimed in with her thoughts, quite similar to Martin’s sentiment. She questioned why Ice Cube didn’t make similar offers to established WNBA players who have already proven their worth in professional basketball.

In no time, Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., jumped into the fray to defend his father’s decision. “You don’t know who else was offered anything,” Jackson wrote on X. He emphasized that people were unaware of the conversations that may have taken place with other players. 

However, as his father recently highlighted during the conversation in ‘The Morning Hustle,‘ the Iowa alumna is currently the most talked-about name in women’s basketball, suggesting that the ‘leaked story’ gained traction because of her immense popularity. But it’s all an old story now. After a successful rookie season, the 2024 draftees aren’t short on opportunities.

Reports surfaced recently that another 3-on-3 league, Unrivaled, extended Clark a million-dollar offer. However, it appears she is declining the tempting payday again. Angel Reese, on the other hand, is all in and has announced her plans to participate. So, for now, regardless of the comparison, both young stars remain at the forefront and are the future of W.