- WNBA. Angel Reese achieves with Chicago Sky what Caitlin Clark has not yet managed
- WNBA. WNBA defenders continue to give Caitlin Clark a brutal welcome to the league
Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were able to squash their college basketball beef when they became WNBA teammates, but they haven't forgotten about one NCAA enemy they had in common. In a new commercial for the NBA Finals he Chicago Sky rookies appeared to take a ruthless dig at Caitlin Clark over her greatest failure.
Reese and Cardoso star in NBA Finals ad
The ad spot, narrated by Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade, set the scene of an exclusive, swanky soiree at which Wade gave a toast to the NBA's defining series.
"Welcome," he began, "or should I say, welcome back."
The theme of Wade's toast was to celebrating past winners. That meant Reese and Cardoso, winners of the last two NCAA championships with LSU and South Carolina, got an invite. Clark, whose Iowa team fell short in the title game to each of them in consecutive seasons, did not.
Did Caitlin Clark get dissed?
"Tonight we honor basketball's kings and queens," says Queen Latifah, before Reese jumps in.
"Champs only," the former LSU star says, as she and Cardoso make a crown gesture over their heads, and Latifah winks at the camera. Everybody seemed to agree that it was a subtle reminder of Clark's famous losses.
The star-studded ad included appearances from NBA icons Ray Allen, Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson. Besides them, Chicago's twin towers were the only other basketball players represented.
Getting celebrated for their NCAA achievements in a commercial for the NBA Finals proves without a doubt how influential this WNBA rookie class has already become. One would think that if the NBA called up a women's basketball star to promote its biggest event, it would be Clark. But she didn't have the credentials for this exclusive party.