Since 1979, the gold standard of basketball rivalries is Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird. Their rivalry began in college, with Johnson’s Michigan State beating Bird’s Indiana State in the national championship game. When they joined the NBA—then a basketball league with mainstream potential—their rivalry and fans “went pro” with them, allowing the league to break through and pave the way for future generations of talented players.
Are we experiencing something similar with the WNBA right now, thanks to the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese? They face off for the first time in their WNBA careers on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET (ESPN).
Edwin Garcia recently explained why Reese is the real deal. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft who is leading the league in offensive boards, Reese is aggressive, confident and tough. Clark, the No. 1 pick in the draft, is averaging 17.6 points and 6.6 assists per game. Yes, she’s also averaging 5.7 turnovers per game, but remember that Magic averaged four turnovers per game in his rookie year and 3.9 for his whole Hall of Fame career.
So one of the reasons to watch the game is to witness the next chapter in what may very well become one of the greatest rivalries in women’s basketball. And what better way to kick off the Commissioner’s Cup than with Clark vs. Reese? But the Fever and the Sky have other interesting players to root for (or against) and storylines to follow.
#FreeNaLyssa
For some reason, Fever head coach Christie Sides doesn’t trust NaLyssa Smith. Smith has been one of the few Fever players who has a feel for what Clark intends to do when looking to make passes or hit cutters. She’s also been unafraid to put the team on her back and shoot when things aren’t going well. Yet two games ago, she found herself coming off the bench. Smith returned to the starting lineup in the last game against the Seattle Storm, and had 23 points on 57 percent shooting. Smith seems to be a player who needs her coach’s trust to perform according to her abilities. Let’s hope she finds that soon.
Which Marina Mabrey will we see?
When Mabrey is on fire, she’s unstoppable. She can easily read defensive schemes and use her strength to free herself from pesky defenders to release a 3 or find an open teammate. But when she’s cold, she may well shoot her team out of a game. In Sky’s last contest against the Los Angeles Sparks, she was 6-of-11 from 3. Two days earlier against the Storm, she made just 30 percent of her field goal attempts. Mabrey is intense, and at times, when things aren’t going her way, that might be an issue. Even if she’s struggling though, she’s a pleasure to watch and her passion for the game keeps the focus on her.
Chicago Sky (3-3) vs. Indiana Fever (1-8)
When: Saturday, June 1 at 12 p.m. ET
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
How to watch: ESPN
Fever injury report: Damiris Dantas (out; knee), Temi Fagbenle (out; foot)
Sky injury report: Kamilla Cardoso (probable; shoulder)