Angel Reese reveals 'disrespect' that led to taunting Caitlin Clark

LSU women’s basketball star Angel Reese had her own reasons for taunting Iowa’s Caitlin Clark.

After the Tigers defeated the Hawkeyes, 102-85, to win their first national championship in program history, Reese hit Clark with John Cena’s “you can’t see me” celebration in the handshake line while also pointing to her ring finger.

Reese — who won the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award — said postgame that she was “in [her] bag” during the moment because Clark had previously “disrespected” her teammate, LSU guard Alexis Morris, and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

“I was waiting,” Reese said on the ESPN postgame show. “Caitlin Clark is a hell of a player for sure, but I don’t take disrespect lightly.

“She disrespected Alexis [Morris] and my girls, South Carolina, they’re my SEC girls too. Y’all not going to disrespect them either.

“I wanted to pick her pocket, but I had a moment at the end of the game, and I was in my bag. I was in my moment.”

The disrespect Reese was alluding to was likely the viral moment when Clark waved off Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson in Iowa’s 77-73 victory over South Carolina in the Final Four.

At the end of the first quarter, while Johnson had the ball at the top of the perimeter, Clark didn’t run up to defend her and instead waved her hand, appearing to dismiss the redshirt freshman.

LSU players took issue with Iowa’s defensive game plan, including Morris.

“Me personally, I find it very disrespectful,” Morris told ESPN on Saturday. “So I’m going to take that personally going into that game.

“You’re going to have to guard us. That’s just the competitor in me, and the will to win.

“I watched the game, and I’m watching them guard South Carolina. I don’t think they can guard us that way.”

Clark said in her postgame press conference Saturday that Iowa’s defense against the Gamecocks was a “pick your poison” approach.

“We’re not going to guard LSU the same way we guarded South Carolina,” Clark said.

“Obviously, with South Carolina, you’ve got to pick your poison. If they were going to beat us, we were going to let it be by the 3-point line. You have to pick and choose your battles.”

Following Sunday’s loss, Clark took to Twitter to share a message to Hawkeyes fans.

“Thank you to all who have supported us on this magical run… I am lucky to wear Iowa across my chest and represent our state,” she wrote.

“I love these girls to death and could not be more proud of all we accomplished this szn. Go hawks always.”

Reese faced backlash for her taunting of Clark, and pointed out the double standard in the women’s game during her post game press conference.

“All year I was critiqued about who I was,” Reese said. “I don’t fit the narrative… I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all year.

“But when other people do it, y’all don’t say nothing.” 

Her John Cena celebration at Clark was the same gesture Clark made in Iowa’s Elite Eight win over Louisville when she had a 40-point triple-double.

When asked about the gesture, Clark said she was focused on her team in the moment.

“I was just trying to get to the handshake line and shake hands and be grateful that my team was in that position,” Clark said. “That’s all you can do, is hold your head high, be proud of what you did.

“.But honestly, I have no idea. I was just trying to spend the last few moments on the court with, especially, the five people that I’ve started 93 games with and relishing every second of that.”

Reese and Clark both had a historic NCAA run.

Clark — who is an Iowa native — had the most points in an NCAA tournament (193); the most assists in a women’s NCAA tournament (60); and the most 3-pointers in a women’s NCAA title game (eight).

Reese — who spent two seasons with Maryland before transferring to LSU in the offseason — posted her 34th double-double on the season, breaking the single-season NCAA record for double-doubles.

She finished with 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting with 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals.

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