Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese spent years being positioned on opposite sides of one of the biggest rivalries in women’s basketball.
Now they are trying to win a gold medal together.
Clark and Reese are teammates with Team USA at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, giving basketball fans a much different look at two stars whose matchups have attracted enormous attention since their college careers.
And when Clark was asked about what it has been like playing alongside Reese instead of against her, the Indiana Fever star didn’t hesitate to praise what her longtime competitor brings to the floor.
“We’re both fiery competitors and we want to win,” Clark said. “It’s one of the things I really admire about her game.”
Clark then pointed specifically to one part of Reese’s game that has impressed her.
“She’s competitive and she has a tremendous motor,” Clark continued. “She has one of the best motors in the league. … So it’s been fun to be able to play with her.”
Caitlin Clark And Angel Reese Join Forces For Team USA
Clark and Reese have been linked throughout their careers, with their matchups becoming some of the most closely followed games in women’s basketball.
Their rivalry reached another level during the 2023 national championship game between Iowa and LSU and continued when Clark’s Hawkeyes defeated Reese and the Tigers in the Elite Eight one year later.
They eventually entered the WNBA together as part of the celebrated 2024 draft class.
But the 2026 World Cup has changed the dynamic.
Same Goal in Mind
Instead of attempting to beat one another, Clark and Reese are part of a loaded American roster pursuing another international championship. Team USA entered the tournament seeking its fifth consecutive World Cup gold medal.
The pairing has already shown its potential.
Clark recorded 14 points and 11 assists in Team USA’s tournament-opening victory over China, while Reese led the Americans with nine rebounds.
For all the attention surrounding their history, Clark’s message about Reese was refreshingly simple.
She respects how hard Reese competes.
And for Team USA, having two of women’s basketball’s fiercest young competitors finally pulling in the same direction could be a significant advantage.
