Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have continued to put outside narratives aside as they develop a strong on-court connection while making their senior national team debuts at the women’s FIBA World Cup.
The two young stars have long been at the center of intense fan debates, dating back to their meeting in the 2023 NCAA championship game and continuing through their WNBA careers and social media discussions.
Despite the constant comparisons and rivalry narratives surrounding them, Clark and Reese have shown that their relationship as teammates is in a positive place.
Clark said much of the speculation about their dynamic is based on “false takes” and emphasized that both players are focused on competing together.
“No matter what, there’s always going to be people that create those narratives and say whatever they want to say,” Clark said.
“There’s definitely no stopping that and they’re always going to be there. I think for ourselves, like I said, it’s easy for us to just come in here and compete.”
Reese, meanwhile, said she has enjoyed playing alongside Clark, as well as other young members of the U.S. team, including Paige Bueckers and Aliyah Boston.
“We know each other’s game like the back of each other’s hand, she knows my spots,” Reese said of Clark. “We just continue to build chemistry because we know we’re going to be USA teammates for a while.”
Their growing chemistry was on display during the United States’ dominant 108-56 quarterfinal victory on Thursday.
Clark and Reese connected on a pick-and-roll late in the opening quarter, leading to a Reese layup. Later, Reese returned the favor by finding Clark on a fast break for an easy basket.
“She’s got it for me a lot of times so it’s probably finally due for me to get one to her and she easily finished it,” Reese said smiling.
Clark and Reese had previously shared the court for the 2024 WNBA All-Star team, which defeated the U.S. Olympic squad. Their rivalry, however, had already attracted national attention following LSU’s victory over Iowa in the 2023 NCAA championship game.
Clark has since expressed admiration for Reese’s competitive mindset and determination, saying “it’s been fun to to be able to play with her.”
The pair have also shared lighter moments during the World Cup. In the tournament opener against China, Reese briefly pulled Clark back as the guard attempted to enter the game during a substitution.
Clark explained the gesture with a laugh.
“Well, the ref had gotten mad at me a couple of times prior, so she was saving me from the ref getting mad at me again,” Clark said laughing.
Another friendly exchange came after the United States’ narrow win over Italy, when Clark passed behind Reese while she was speaking with reporters. Reese responded with a smile and a high-five.
The two will return to being WNBA opponents soon. Reese’s Atlanta Dream and Clark’s Indiana Fever are both headed to the playoffs with identical 26-14 records, meaning they could potentially meet in the opening round if the standings remain unchanged.
For now, however, Clark and Reese remain focused on the same goal with Team USA. Their developing chemistry could also prove important for the national team, with both players expected to remain part of the U.S. women’s basketball program for years to come.