Fri May 23 00:10:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Dawn Staley Urges Fans to Move On From Clark-Reese Incident, Focus on WNBA’s Excitement**

NEW YORK – South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, advocating for a focus on the game itself rather than dwelling on a single play.

Staley, speaking on The Breakfast Club on 105.1 FM, emphasized the difficulty of officiating and expressed her belief that the league understands the dynamic between Clark and Reese. “I think it’s great for our game,” Staley said. “It’s a sport, treat us like a sport. Don’t treat us as anything other than being a sport.”

Her comments come after a hard foul by Clark on Reese during a May 17th game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky, which was later upgraded to a flagrant foul. The incident sparked debate among fans and analysts, but both Clark and Reese have downplayed the significance.

“Basketball play, refs got it right, move on,” Reese stated simply. Clark echoed the sentiment, saying, “It was just a good play on the basketball… I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious.”

Staley is taking her cues from the players themselves. “I’m gonna take the lead of Angel and Caitlin, and that lead is they said it was a foul, the officials got it right, we’re moving on. I’m gonna take their lead.”

The WNBA has also announced an investigation into alleged hateful comments directed at Reese by fans during the game. The league has yet to reveal its findings.

Staley also hopes the increased attention on the WNBA due to Clark’s arrival will lead new fans to appreciate the league’s broader talent pool. “I think there are new fans that haven’t watched our game, and they really don’t know, so they’re only singularly focused on Caitlin,” she said. “But I just hope that they’ll open their eyes to the rest of the talent that is there. The product is incredible, and it’s in high demand.”

Staley concluded by expressing her excitement for future matchups between the Fever and the Sky, stating, “I’m gonna be glued in just like everybody else. I’m a fan.”

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