The Summer Olympic Games are now underway, and the U.S. women’s basketball team, which includes Angel Reese but not Caitlin Clark, won their opening game against Japan on Monday night. The absence of Clark, alongside the inclusion of Reese, has sparked ongoing debate about whether the WNBA rookies Clark and Reese should have been selected for the team traveling to Paris. Some argue that Clark’s performance was strong enough to warrant her inclusion.

Throughout their debut seasons, Clark and Reese have been frequently compared, with discussions about their “rivalry” dating back to their clash in the 2023 NCAA championship game. Despite both players having moved on from college, their matchups between Clark’s Indiana Fever and Reese’s Chicago Sky have only fueled speculation about their competitive dynamics. Former NBA star Reggie Miller, who has strong connections to Indiana, believes there is another factor contributing to the intense reactions surrounding Clark and Reese—namely, the influence of social media.

In a recent interview with USA Today Sports, Miller reflected on how dramatically basketball coverage has changed since his playing days in the 1990s. He contends that the rise of social media has had a negative impact on players like Clark and Reese, in contrast to earlier trailblazers in women’s basketball such as Lynette Woodard and Miller’s sister Cheryl, who did not face the same level of online scrutiny.

“The problem with Caitlin and Angel, and I’d say over the last 15 years, is social media,” Miller explained. “Cheryl and Lynette Woodard… they never had to deal with social media like Clark, Angel Reese, and Cam Brink do now. Everyone has their own opinion and critique; people are sitting in their basements, watching games, and commenting in real-time. When I played in Indiana, we had just one newspaper and one beat writer.”

However, Miller also noted that pressure can produce exceptional talent, and both Clark and Reese are shining examples of this. Both rookies were selected for the All-Star Game in Phoenix earlier this month and appear to be on the path to superstardom. Reese leads the WNBA in offensive rebounds per game and ranks second in total rebounds, while Clark tops the league in assists per game. Their chemistry was highlighted when Clark’s assist to Reese during the All-Star Game went viral.

While Reese is highly active on social media and seems to embrace the ongoing discourse, Clark takes a more reserved approach online. Miller expressed admiration for Clark’s decision to limit her social media engagement.

“Everyone has an opinion, and sometimes you have to cut out the noise and disconnect from the devices,” Miller said. “I’ve heard that Caitlin does just that, which is great. She’s not actively engaged on social media and doesn’t let it affect her much.”

But as the saying goes, pressure makes diamonds, and Clark and Reese are two of the WNBA’s gems. Both rookies were selected to the All-Star Game in Phoenix earlier this month, and they appear ticketed for superstardom. Reese is the WNBA’s leader in offensive rebounds per game and ranks second in total rebounds per night; Clark is the league leader in assists per game, and her dime to Reese during the All-Star Game at Footprint Center immediately went viral.

While Reese is very active on social media and seems to revel in the discourse, Clark has taken a markedly different approach to posting online that Miller admires.

“Everyone has an opinion, and sometimes you (have to) just stop the noise, cut off the devices, and everything,” Miller said. “I hear about Caitlin, she does that, which is great. … She’s not actively on it and she doesn’t let a lot of that affect her.”