Cari Champion is well-known in the sports world for her work on Amazon Prime Video’s “The Cari Champion Show,” ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and “First Take,” and now she’s taking on the WNBA’s hottest topic: the rivalry between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
The four-season run of Champion’s podcast, “Naked Sports with Cari Champion,” will now take place in six parts as a limited series called “The Making of a Rivalry: Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese,” according to a recent announcement from iHeart Media and Champion.
The plot of the show will centre on the two’s transition from high school to college and how the media has reported on their alleged rivalry, which dates back to their time at Iowa and LSU, respectively.
“The same racial and gender bias that has plagued women’s sports for generations has driven the media’s obsession on their alleged rivalry,” iHeart Media stated in a statement. And is it reasonable to assume that this plot was exactly what the WNBA needed, given that Clark and Reese have attracted thousands of new fans to the league? Or did it bring poison into an environment that has long taken pleasure in its inclusion and sisterhood?
In this revolutionary series, Cari Champion seeks insights from those closest to Clark and Reese—coaches who have influenced their gameplay, along with players and journalists who have observed their extraordinary ascent. The podcast not only highlights the remarkable talents of these two athletes but also poses a vital question: amid such division, can we find unity through greatness?
The inaugural episode was released on Wednesday and includes perspectives from Jemele Hill, Sarah Spain, Sabreena Merchant, and others, along with interviews featuring players and coaches who offer direct knowledge about both Clark and Reese.
Beyond the focus on Clark and Reese, the show will delve into other notable rivalries and their impact on the evolution of their respective sports.
