Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream’s rapid rise to the WNBA Finals has reignited a familiar debate, especially with her rival Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, and social media users are once again comparing the two, with some even putting Reese in front. However, for veteran sports journalist Dan Patrick, Reese’s recent success doesn’t automatically make her the better basketball player, arguing that the two cannot be easily compared.

“I’ll see them occasionally, or they’re sent to me, and it’ll be like, ‘I guess Angel Reese has proven that she’s a better basketball player than Caitlin Clark,’ and I’m like, ‘No, she’s not,'” he said during his Dan Patrick Show, with the segment clipped and posted to the show’s X page.

“She’s a different basketball player, and give her credit. She’s played really well. And I keep saying. Offensively, she has no skill set. But that’s a testament to how tough she is. She is like Moses Malone. The way he played, he just kept attacking. He didn’t have a signature move. He wasn’t great offensively, but he was the league MVP. It doesn’t always come down to Caitlin Clark versus Angel Reese.”

Patrick made it clear that he wasn’t trying to denigrate or diminish Reese’s role on the Dream, especially given her solid contributions in their postseason run. The comparison he used is also particularly intriguing. NBA Hall of Famer Moses Malone built his reputation on rebounding, hustling, and persistence instead of offensive brilliance or a go-to move.

Similarly, though Patrick doesn’t think Reese’s offensive game is particularly polished, he highlighted her ability to keep producing without relying on a conventional scoring arsenal.

His point about the two different players is also valid, especially since they have vastly contrasting skill sets. As a lead guard, Clark’s strengths are perimeter shooting, shot creation, and playmaking, while Reese excels at traditional forward skills like paint scoring, rebounding, and interior defense.

Patrick also brought their college careers into the discussion, and highlighted how one of the main claims in favor of Reese being the greater player was that she had won a championship, while Clark hadn’t, and posed an intriguing hypothetical.

“This isn’t a referendum that now she’s better than Caitlin Clark,” he said.

“If I switch those two teams, Angel Reese with Iowa, does it make it to the Final Four? Caitlin Clark would win it all. But Angel Reese has played well.”

Reese and the LSU Tigers defeated Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2023 NCAA championship game in 2023, with Reese logging 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Clark finished with 30 points and eight assists. However, as it stands, he believes that Clark would easily win the national championship, while Reese might not make it to the Final Four.

These comments come as Reese has been the engine of the Dream’s success in the postseason. Atlanta went undefeated in the first round and the semifinals, sweeping both the Washington Mystics and the New York Liberty. She has also led her team to a 2-1 lead over the Golden State Valkyries, marking the first Finals wins in the history of the Dream.

She was also named the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year during this period, and her stats have backed up her play. She has stepped up on offense too, logging 19.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while making a big lead as a three-point shooter, converting 47.1% of her long-range looks. For Patrick, recognizing that success doesn’t require declaring her superior to Clark.

As Atlanta continues to fight for the 2026 WNBA championship, Reese’s performance will inevitably continue to draw attention. Patrick argues that Clark’s scoring and playmaking don’t diminish Reese’s rebounding and physicality, just as Reese’s Finals success doesn’t erase Clark’s accomplishments. Both can be influential without turning every milestone into an ever-continuing debate.