Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever initiated her 2025 WNBA season impressively, achieving a triple-double during her team's dominant 93-58 victory over the Chicago Sky. The game featured a notable incident where Clark committed a hard foul on Angel Reese, her rival, leading to a flagrant foul call and a heated exchange between the two players, which other players had to break up. Despite the apparent tension, both Clark and Reese downplayed the severity of the foul post-game.

Clark, who scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out 10 assists, described the foul as a "good play on the basketball" and a standard "take foul" to prevent an easy layup, denying any malicious intent. Reese echoed this sentiment, referring to it as a "basketball play," a term they both have used previously. However, WNBA crew chief Roy Gulbeyan stated that the foul met the criteria for a Flagrant Foul 1 due to the "wind up, impact, and follow through for the extension of the left hand to Reese’s back, which is deemed not a legitimate basketball play, and therefore deemed unnecessary contact." Gulbeyan also noted the offsetting technical fouls assessed to Aliyah Boston for a physical taunt and to Reese for a verbal technical.

Despite the controversy, Reese struggled with her shooting, making only 5 of 14 field goal attempts for 12 points, although she did secure a game-high 17 rebounds. Her shooting woes continue a trend from her rookie season, where she only made 39.1% of her field goal attempts. This inefficiency undermines her other contributions, such as rebounding. Clark, in contrast, shot 6-for-13, including 4-8 from 3-point range, underscoring the difference in their current abilities.

The game was also notable for the comments from Fever coach Stephanie White, who emphasized that her team would play tough defense. The sold-out crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse reacted strongly to the game’s events, cheering when Reese missed a free throw following the technical foul.

Robert Griffin III suggested that Angel Reese harbors animosity towards Caitlin Clark, stemming from the flagrant foul. The Chicago Sky's performance was lackluster, with the Fever outscoring them significantly in the second half. Reese finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds, while Ariel Atkins added 11 points. The Sky's overall shooting percentage was poor, at 29.1%.

Clark's triple-double tied her with Candace Parker for the third-most in WNBA history and marked her as the fastest player to achieve three triple-doubles, reaching the milestone in just 41 games. The viral photo of Clark walking away from Reese after the foul has garnered significant attention, amplifying the ongoing narrative of their rivalry.

Reese acknowledged the need for improvement and emphasized the importance of learning from their mistakes early in the season. She expressed optimism about the team's potential to improve as the season progresses.