“I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL” – Joy Taylor REFUSES TO BACK DOWN, Says ANGEL REESE DESERVES CREDIT for CAITLIN CLARK’S SUPERSTARDOM in SHOCKING CLAIM That’s DIVIDING FANS and REIGNITING OLD RIVALRIES

 

FS1 host Joy Taylor isn’t pulling any punches—and her latest statement is causing serious waves. In a bold declaration that stunned viewers, Taylor claimed Angel Reese is the reason Caitlin Clark became a household name, pointing to their fiery 2023 NCAA Tournament clash as the spark that launched Clark’s stardom. Fans were quick to react, with fierce debates flooding social media. Is Joy right—or just stirring the pot? And how will Clark and Reese respond as their paths cross again in the WNBA spotlight?

Dive into the full story behind Taylor’s controversial claim—this one’s far from over.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese
Joy Taylor is adamant that Caitlin Clark wouldn’t be as popular as she is without Angel Reese’s viral taunting during the 2023 NCAA title game

Joy Taylor said she would “die on the hill” of Angel Reese being the reason for Caitlin Clark’s meteoric rise to superstardom following her viral moment in the 2023 NCAA national championship game.

The Indiana Fever star has quickly become the face of the WNBA since making the step up from college basketball just over 12 months ago, with her on-court success inspiring a huge surge in popularity of the women’s game as television viewership and fan attendance figures reached heights never seen before.

Thanks to her recent efforts, the Fever is on verge of a $500,000 payday after securing a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup final, with the 22-year-old having dazzled on the court in a brand new pair of special Nike sneakers. Her performances have also garnered praise from the likes of LeBron James.

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This week, however, Clark has been dealt a stunning verdict from FS1 host Taylor, who believes she is only as famous as she is thanks to her altercation with former LSU star Reese during the final of March Madness two years ago.

In that tie, which LSU won 102-85, Reese famously taunted Clark in the final moments as the clock ticked down, pointing to her ring finger before waving her hand in front of her face towards the Iowa star in a move labeled as the ‘You Can’t See Me.’

The interaction almost immediately went viral, and conjured up different perceptions of the two players. Taylor believes it only benefited Clark and is insistent that without Reese’s actions, she would never have reached the same levels of fame that she has now.

“[The Clark vs. Reese rivalry] has now spun into this thing where, like, Caitlin is better than Angel, and blah blah blah,” Taylor said on a recent episode of ‘The Joe Budden Podcast.’

“I just said that we would not be talking about Caitlin Clark the way that we do if it wasn’t for that moment with Angel Reese. And I will die on this hill. I will die on this hill.”

Reese’s taunt ended up exploding across social media and igniting a national conversation, with Taylor adding how it helped to elevate women’s basketball, with Clark’s talent alone not being enough to push the WNBA into the daily sports news cycle.

“It’s crazy to me, every time I bring this up, they’re like, ‘Angel’s not better. We would’ve been talking about her anyway.’ No, the f— you wouldn’t. You f—— wouldn’t,” Taylor slammed.

“And the reason you wouldn’t is I do this every goddamn day. I know what we talk about on my show. We were not doing WNBA topic — whole 15-minute segments — on the f—– show until that happened.”

She added: “F— off. I know what I’m talking about. It’s not about saying that Angel’s better than Caitlin or that Caitlin wouldn’t be a great player. It’s principal storytelling. I’m not making this up. I know what I’m talking about.”

Since their first season in the WNBA, Clark and Reese have had a series of intense face-offs. The pair have done their best to downplay their longstanding rivalry, but eyes will always be glued to the screen whenever they come up against one another amid hopes of them producing more iconic moments.