It’s been ten days since the beginning of the Unrivaled season, and the team is on a real high. But the truly anticipated battle came on January 27th, as Angel Reese hit the court to lock horns against Kate Martin. As always with basketball, though, it wasn’t just the action on the court that had people talking. Fans were quick to voice their opinions after a fiery moment between the two.

It all began after a back-and-forth first quarter. As Reese drove to the basket with just under a minute left, she collided with Martin mid-air. Reese crashed to the floor, and Martin was called for a foul. The Chicago Sky standout missed the shot but made her free throw, worth two points in the Unrivaled format.

In the next quarter, the Chicago Sky star hit a three as Martin stepped ahead to defend. Well, this is might merely be a glimpse of the next big stars and a possible rivalry.

The current Golden State Valkyries player, Kate Martin, has experienced immense success thus far. Not only is her Laces team a perfect 3-0 in the young season, but she has also showcased improvement in both her offensive and defensive capabilities.

“Now she’s getting a little more run, and getting to play, and playing free,” Clark shared in a recent interview about Martin. “I think people are just seeing her confidence grow and grow. So just like I said, I’m really happy for her, and hopefully, I can recruit her to the Fever somehow, some way one day, who knows? I’m gonna try to figure that out.”

For her, the goal at some point is to “team up with Kate.” After a historical run at the Iowa together, Unrivaled could be the next destination we see the two in a team. Alex Bazzell has left the offer on the table for whenever Clark’s ready and the Fever star hasn’t dismissed the idea for the future either. But that’s for another day. Currently, as Reese and the former Hawkeye had a go at each other, a few fans weren’t excited about the outcome.

Angel Reese shines in Unrivaled, but fans rally behind Martin in fiery showdown

It didn’t take long for things to heat up between Reese’s Rose Basketball Club and Martin’s Laces Basketball Club. The foul called on Martin, according to fans, wasn’t justified. They rather accused the Chi-Town Barbie of flopping.

“Nice flop,” a user wrote, while another added, “Didn’t even touch her….” Martin’s knee, however, did come in contact with Reese as the two jumped, making for a hard foul. The Sky #5 crashed to ground and slid courtside following the collide. One user had a sarcastic comment to add to the moment.

“OMG Kate almost sent Barbie back to the bayou,” they joked. No matter the final call and review, spectators weren’t convinced. “Hard foul… Hahaha. Hardly a foul,” said another. Reese converted one of her free throws after the foul, but things weren’t looking great for her team, as they fell to Martin’s Laces 71-64. The Chi-Town Barbie finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds.

On the other hand, Martin played 15 minutes and had 7 points with 6 rebounds contribution. She would, however, finish with 4 fouls. Despite that, it was Martin’s Laces who came out on top thanks to strong performances from Kayla McBride (31 points, 9 rebounds) and Tiffany Hayes (24 points, 11 rebounds).

For Reese, this loss adds to an already challenging season, leaving her team at a disappointing 1-3 record. But despite the struggles, Reese and Martin continue to bring excitement to the court in every game they play. The Unrivaled league may have a lot of drama, but it also has a lot of talent.