Who was Angel Reese really taking aim at in since deleted post?

After the Sky’s 90-81 victory Thursday against the Liberty, forward Angel Reese had thoughts to share.

‘‘And that’s on getting a win in a packed arena, not just cause of one player on our charter flight,’’ Reese shared in a since-deleted post on X.

Many took the post, which referred to the WNBA’s new policy on charter flights, as a shot at Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick in the draft last month. The two were deemed college rivals after LSU beat Iowa in the title game of the 2023 women’s NCAA Tournament, after which Reese mimicked Clark’s ‘‘you can’t see me’’ gesture.

On Wednesday, however, Hall of Fame player and TNT analyst Charles Barkley shared his opinion about the growth of the WNBA, which could have been the real inspiration behind Reese’s post.

‘‘You women out there, y’all petty, man,’’ Barkley said during TNT’s ‘‘Inside the NBA’’ broadcast. ‘‘Y’all should be thanking [Clark] for getting y’all [expletive] private charters.’’

Barkley isn’t the only prominent NBA voice with a strong opinion about Clark’s early impact on the WNBA. Four-time NBA champion LeBron James made his feelings clear on the latest episode of his podcast ‘‘Mind the Game’’ with JJ Redick.

After sharing his advice for Clark, saying anyone with that level of fame needs to ‘‘put your blinders on,’’ James also credited her for her impact on the WNBA.

‘‘Don’t get it twisted, don’t get it [expletive] up,’’ James said. ‘‘[Clark] is the reason why a lot of great things are gonna happen for the WNBA.’’

TV ratings for the Fever already have set new league records. Clark’s debut against the Sun was the most-viewed WNBA game on ABC in history.

Reese, however, is having her own impact. The Sky’s season-ticket sales have increased by 33% and their revenue by 58% this season. Their game June 6 against the Mystics has been moved to Capital One Arena, which has a capacity of 20,356 fans.

Reese’s post appeared to be a clear acknowledgment of what many continue to miss: that more than one player is influencing the burgeoning interest in the WNBA.