Joy Taylor had a bold take on the ongoing Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry in women’s basketball. The FOX Sports 1 host stressed the storyline between the two rising WNBA stars by highlighting the need for each player to have the “hero” and the “villain” role in the said narrative.
Speaking on Monday’s “Joe Budden Podcast,” Taylor joined in the fray of comparing Clark’s rivalry with Reese to those of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the 80s. While the analyst did highlight the importance of someone playing a protagonist or an antagonist, she pointed out the latter more.
“The Magic Johnson, Larry Bird Moment for the WNBA,” Taylor said. “Like this is great. I’m a storyteller. I think storylines are so [expletive] important. I think you need villains, I think you need heroes. You need [expletive] to sell. You gotta sell a fight. Like brand all of this.”
“We would not be talking about Caitlin Clark the way that we do if it wasn’t for that moment with Angel Reese.”
(Via Joe Budden Network)
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 23, 2025
Moreover, Taylor believed that Caitlin Clark became famous due to the “upset white men” disapproving of Reese confronting the former Iowa standout, which the commentator had dubbed as a “strong, winning, unapologetic black woman,” with fans clinging to this up to this day.
The FS1 host referred to the moment when Reese made a “You can’t see me” gesture to Clark moments before the LSU Tigers won the 2023 National Championship. Taylor fiercely concluded her statement with:
“And it’s now spun to this whole thing where like Caitlin’s better than Angel and blah blah blah. I just said we would not be talking about Caitlin Clark the way we do if it wasn’t for that moment with Angel Reese. And I will die on this hill.”
In reference, Caitlin Clark and Reese had their most recent confrontation during the May 17 season opener, where Clark was assessed a flagrant foul after fighting for the loose ball with the “Bayou Barbie.” While this caused huge controversy, both sides considered it “nothing malicious.”
Dave Portnoy isn’t fond of Joy Taylor’s statement on Caitlin Clark
If Joy Taylor claims that Caitlin Clark wouldn’t be famous without her confrontation with Angel Reese in 2023, then Dave Portnoy insists otherwise. On his X/Twitter, the Barstool Sports founder reversed the FS1 host’s statement, sharing how Clark is more recognized than Reese.
“The dumbest, most ridiculous rant of all time. Nobody outside hardcore WNBA fans and LSU fans would know who Angel was it weren’t for her riding Caitlin’s coattails. It’s made her a fortune, so kudos to her, but this is the dumbest take I’ve ever heard,” Portnoy tweeted.
The dumbest most ridiculous rant of all time. Nobody outside hardcore WNBA fans and LSU fans would know who Angel was it weren’t for her riding Caitlin’s coattails. It’s made her a fortune so kudos to her but this is the dumbest take I’ve ever heard. pic.twitter.com/2LjJOqOs34
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) June 23, 2025
While Angel Reese is dubbed one of the biggest rising stars of her time, it’s undeniable that Caitlin Clark is on another level. The Indiana Fever superstar alone is leading the massive buzz that has continuously boosted the WNBA’s viewership and engagement since her entry in 2024.
For more sports content:
Follow us @HardwoodHeroics for your NBA and college basketball reading fix. You can reach out to Dan Agulto through email at papadanph@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest sports news, click here!
Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
