Caitlin Clark responds to viral Angel Reese taunting moment

Following the women’s national championship game between Iowa and LSU on Sunday, much of the conversation hasn’t been so much about LSU’s win as about star forward Angel Reese‘s taunting of Iowa star Caitlin Clark.

In the waning moments of the game Reese used the John Cena-esque hand wave in front of the face, a move that Clark had done multiple times this season after big moments.

It was an apparent jab at Clark, and Reese essentially confirmed as much after the game.

Clark took the taunt in stride, not offering a whole lot after the game and seemingly downplaying the incident altogether.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” Clark said. “I was just trying to get to the handshake line and shake hands and be grateful that my team was in that position. That’s all you can do is hold your head high, be proud of what you did.”

Reese had explained the taunt after the game.

“Caitlin Clark is a hell of a player for sure, but I don’t take disrespect lightly,” Reese said. “And she disrespected Alexis (Morris) and my girls. South Carolina, they’re still my SEC girls too. But y’all not gonna disrespect them either. I wanted to pick her pocket but I had a moment at the end of the game and I was just in my bag. I was in my moment.”

Caitlin clark credits LSU, downplays Angel Reese taunting

If there’s controversy over the Angel Reese taunting, it doesn’t seem to be emanating from Clark’s end of things.

She certainly didn’t inflame the situation following the game, which LSU won 102-85 on a tremendous night shooting.

“All the credit in the world to LSU,” Clark said. “They were tremendous. They deserve it. They had a tremendous season. Kim Mulkey coached them so, so well. She’s one of the best basketball coaches of all time, and it shows. She only said really kind things to me in the handshake line, so I’m very grateful to that too.”

Reese, for her part, was also excellent throughout the tournament. She scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the title game, giving her a 34th double-double this season, setting a Division I record.

Still, there were many who felt LSU’s win would have been just fine without Angel Reese taunting one of the sport’s most prominent players, particularly since the moment detracted from conversation about the actual tournament and title game after the fact.

Clark spoke at the podium after the game and continued to reiterate she was just trying to be with her teammates in the final moments of the season.

“Honestly I have no idea,” Clark said. “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.”