The controversy surrounding Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has a new chapter. During a recent Team USA game, a seemingly routine substitution sparked intense debate online. Dave Portnoy has weighed in, and his take is adding fuel to the fire.

CC greeted Monique Billings, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray while getting subbed into the game, but apparently ignored Angel Reese's handshake gesture.

"I don't think Caitlin saw Angel but I really really hope she did." Portnoy wrote on X.

Portnoy has naturally always sided with CC in her well-documented rivalry with Angel Reese, often criticizing Reese for exaggerating the several altercations between them. His comment on their latest interaction was predictable, given their storied rivalry.

Surprisingly enough, this is not the first time a hand gesture has come into play between Clark and Reese's rivalry.

During the NCAA championship game in 2023 between Reese's LSU Tigers and Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes, Reese celebrated the Tigers' imminent win by waving one hand in front of her face, gesturing the iconic "You Can't See Me" popularised by legendary wrestler John Cena.

This moment defined the initial sparks of rivalry between the two. But while Reese was flamed on social media for poor sportsmanship, Clark believed Reese should not be criticised for her celebrations, upholding the mutual respect the two have for each other.

Angel Reese Scrutinized for Not Passing Enough to Caitlin Clark

Team USAB's second match saw a complete breakdown in team chemistry as compared to their first match against Senegal. The discourse was once again focused on Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.

Reese's habit of carrying the ball up the floor all by herself left viewers arguing that the 23-year-old should look to pass more to CC, who was relatively free on the backcourt.

"This USA lineup has been awkward. Kahleah Copper never passes and Angel Reese needs to give Caitlin Clark the ball in the backcourt." WNBA analyst Robin Lundberg provided his take.

Team USA has already qualified for the World Cup scheduled for September, as coach Lawson argued, using the qualifiers as practice games to figure out rotations and combinations.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar