Caitlin Clark's Viral Smile Sparks New Chapter in WNBA Rivalry with Angel Reese

INDIANAPOLIS — A seemingly innocuous moment during an overtime thriller between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream has reignited one of women's basketball's most compelling rivalries.

During the Fever's 90-84 overtime victory over the Dream on August 16, cameras captured rookie sensation Caitlin Clark smiling in the background as Atlanta forward Angel Reese reacted to a missed potential game-winning layup in the final seconds of regulation. Reese was consoled by teammate Rhyne Howard as the play unfolded.

The footage quickly spread across social media platforms, transforming Clark's reaction into a viral meme that dominated sports internet discussions for days.

"We're just—peace, love and happiness," Fever center Aliyah Boston said during a recent episode of the "Post Moves" podcast, addressing the online firestorm alongside co-host and three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker. "We will never be free."

Boston, who was on the court during the play, admitted she didn't witness the moment in real time.

"In real time you see nothing, but we saw it after and I was like, 'Here we go,'" Boston said.

The exchange marks another episode in the ongoing narrative between Clark and Reese that began during the 2023 NCAA championship game, when Reese, then playing for LSU, directed the now-iconic "You can't see me" gesture toward the Iowa star. Reese has previously stated she didn't sleep after her missed layup during the August 16 game.

Parker, a Basketball Hall of Famer, suggested the Fever have found themselves at the center of numerous viral moments throughout the season, including Sophie Cunningham's controversial pointing gesture and Paige Bueckers' directive for Clark to "calm down" during a game.

"I would have been like Paige, too," Parker said during the podcast discussion. "I'd have been like, 'Calm down. I'm trying to foul you.'"

Boston remained unmoved by Parker's hypothetical response.

"No, I don't care," Boston replied.

The rivalry will likely continue to develop as both teams push toward the postseason. The Dream have won four consecutive games since the August 16 loss, clinching a playoff berth. Meanwhile, the Fever defeated the Chicago Sky last Sunday in a matchup that drew record-regular season viewership for the WNBA in nearly three decades.

Indiana returns home Friday to face the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.