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    Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese - Image Source: Imagn Images
    Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese - Image Source: Imagn Images
    Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese - Image Source: Imagn Images
    Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese - Image Source: Imagn Images

    “Without Angel Reese, CC is at Best Pete Maravich”: Tanya Ray Doubles Down on Claim That Caitlin Clark’s Fame Spiked Because of Former LSU Star

    Former FS1 news editor Tanya Ray doubled down on her claim that Angel Reese put Caitlin Clark on the map following their clash in the 2023 national championship game. Ray initially made the claim on Friday while responding to a fan suggesting that Reese would have made the WNBA popular even without Clark.

    On Saturday, Ray backed herself on Threads by revisiting search trends on Clark over the past five years. Ray shared screenshots of the prompts she received, which suggested that Clark’s searches spiked following Iowa’s 2023 NCAA title game against Reese’s LSU and peaked a year later after she made the WNBA.

    “My search prompt was ‘Caitlin Clark Google search trends 5 years,'” Ray said. “Ofc, everyone who was actually watching at the time already knows this. No amount of gaslighting will change that. I’m in the media too. I have followers, too.”
    Ray then called out reporter Christine Brennan and former NFL MVP Boomer Esiason for showing support to Clark following her incident with Alyssa Thomas. The Phoenix Mercury guard made contact with Clark’s neck during the Fever-Mercury game on Wednesday and received a one-game suspension.
    “The narrative will not be dictated by the Christine Brennans and Boomer Esiasons as long as I have access to a camera and mic,” Ray said.
    “Buckle in.
    Without Angel Reese, CC is at best Pete Maravich. A perennial all-star with an all time college record, but also never Kareem.”

     

    View on Threads

     

    Clark has been compared to Maravich due to her prolific scoring in college. Maravich was the all-time top scorer in men’s and women’s Division I basketball until March 2024, when Clark surpassed him. Despite their individual success, neither college legend won the NCAA title.
    However, Ray made the comparison to suggest that Clark’s popularity would have been limited like Maravich’s if not for Reese. She played down any similarity to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won at every level.

    Caitlin Clark’s games have been the top-three most-viewed this season

    Tanya Ray may believe that Angel Reese is the one moving the needle for the WNBA, but the numbers continue to favor Caitlin Clark. According to a social media post from Yahoo Sports, the Fever have played in the three most-viewed games of the season.

    Caitlin Clark’s matchup against Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream was third with 1.7 million viewers. Since Clark has the only games with more than 2.5 million viewers, it appears that she may have been the one swaying the audience when the Fever and Dream locked horns on June. 20.

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