Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese Put Rivalry Aside for Team USA

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese built one of women’s basketball’s most talked-about rivalries. Now, the two stars are sharing the court for Team USA and finding that their competitive history can also help them connect as teammates.

During the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, Clark and Reese have shown a growing comfort with each other on the court.

From Rivals to Teammates

Both 24, Clark and Reese first drew major attention during the 2023 March Madness tournament. Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes faced Reese’s LSU Tigers, and the game featured plenty of competitive exchanges and trash talk.

The matchup later fueled assumptions about tension between the two players, including misguided racial narratives.

Instagram | aipropx | Former rivals Clark and Reese are finding common ground and growing chemistry as Team USA teammates.

Their relationship has looked different while wearing the same jersey. After Team USA’s 108-56 win over Hungary on Thursday, Sept. 10, Reese spoke about how their past matchups have helped them understand each other’s playing styles.

“We’ve played against each other so many times, so I’m sure we know each other’s game like the back of each other’s hand,” Reese told TNT Sports.

She also pointed to the passing connection developing between them. “She dishes it off to me, I got one to her today, so, it’s fun,” Reese said.

Building Chemistry With Team USA

Reese, who plays for the Atlanta Dream, said the two players can depend on each other during the tournament. She described the experience as a chance to learn each other’s games while handling their first major national event together.

“This is our first big national event, so being able to play with each other, learn each other and go through these learning process together, it’s fun,” Reese said, according to ESPN.

Clark has also addressed the outside attention surrounding their relationship. The Indiana Fever star acknowledged that people will continue to create their own narratives, but said the focus for both players remains on competing.

For Clark and Reese, playing together offers a different view of a relationship that has often been defined by their rivalry.

A Rivalry That Continues

Instagram | sportskeeda_basketball | Competing against each other for years made Clark and Reese remarkably effective playing together.

The change in setting does not erase their competitive history. Once the WNBA season resumes on Sept. 17, Clark and Reese will return to opposing teams and continue their professional rivalry.

Still, their connection has developed beyond the moments that first put them in the spotlight. In February 2024, Reese compared their relationship to NBA legends Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, saying, “If that’s who we are, then okay, cool.”

Clark has also previously said she is “a big fan of” Reese. Their time with Team USA now adds another chapter to a relationship shaped by competition, mutual familiarity and shared goals.

Clark and Reese’s experience highlights how familiar opponents can become effective teammates. Years of competing against each other have given both players a strong understanding of what the other can do.

Their chemistry is still developing, but their early connection has already produced shared plays and a more relaxed dynamic. The rivalry remains part of their story, yet their time with Team USA shows that competition and teamwork can exist side by side.