Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have captivated the basketball world. They were superstar players for their respective college teams, LSU and Iowa, and have followed suit with their presence and impact in the WNBA. Since they had phenomenal rookie years, both have been the top candidates for the Rookie of the Year award.
Caitlin was selected first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, while Angel was chosen with the seventh pick. They have been rivals for a long time , but the WNBA All-Star Game is their chance to play alongside each other for the first time.
“We haven’t had that talk yes, obviously. Everybody can cheer for both of us for one day, which is gonna be cool,” Reese said in an interview on ESPN. “I’m excited. This is gonna be the first of many, I know we’re gonna be on All-Star teams together in the future, Olympic teams together in the future too. I’m just excited to be here in this moment and everyone coming.”
A duo the basketball world has been waiting for
Ever since Reese and Clark locked horns in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, the basketball world has waited for them to play against each other and possibly alongside each other. The WNBA Draft did not lead to the duo becoming teammates as they became rivals, playing close to each other in Chicago and Indiana.
They have already played three games against each other this season, with Clark’s Fever having a 2-1 advantage. However, they are putting a pause on that because of the All-Star Weekend and the break for the Olympics, where multiple WNBA players are playing.
Angel and Caitlin were not named into the Olympics team but will play against Team USA. It will be an exciting matchup because the USA team is arguably the best collection of talent in women’s basketball.
Clark is also excited about pairing up with Reese
Reese is not the only part of the duo excited to play the All-Star Game. Clark is also ready for the opportunity to play with her fierce rival. However, Caitlin is more focused on the opponents of Team USA.
“Yeah, I think people are just excited to watch. The biggest thing about it is there are a lot of fans who are going to tune in and watch it. You know, us two, being rookies, being here, and being on the same team. The dynamic of playing Team USA,” Clark said in a similar ESPN interview. “It’s gonna be competitive, you don’t usually see that in All-Star Games… I don’t think we have anything planned and honestly, we have plays the team’s going to run, whatever happens, happens I guess.”
Many within the basketball community thought Clark was a shoo-in for Team USA, but she was not selected. This game is her chance to prove the doubters in the selection committee wrong because she is ready to show it. A connection between Reese and Clark is inevitable during the game, which would be arguably the biggest headline of the weekend.
Related: "Don't double down on dumb. Get her on the team" – Cowherd pleads with USA Basketball to get Caitlin on the squad
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