Caitlin Clark Discusses Angel Reese Relationship, What She Admires About WNBA Star's Game

Even though Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are best known for their on-court rivalry that dates back to college, there is a respect between the two stars as they have teamed up on Team USA in the FIBA World Cup.

Speaking to Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press, Clark opened up about her relationship with Reese by explaining what she admires about her game:

"We're both fiery, fiery competitors and we want to win and it's one of the things I really admire about her game. She's competitive and she has a tremendous motor, like she has one of the best motors in the league. She works just as hard as anybody on the court. So, it's been fun to to be able to play with her."

The rivalry between Clark and Reese developed in college with Reese starting out 4-0 in their head-to-head matchups, highlighted by LSU's 102-85 win over Iowa in the 2023 national title game.

Clark earned her first win over Reese in the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA tournament when Iowa beat LSU 94-87.

Both women entered the 2024 WNBA draft with Clark going No. 1 overall to the Indiana Fever and Reese being selected No. 7 by the Chicago Sky.

Clark's teams have largely dominated their matchups in the W with a 6-3 record, but Reese had a comeback in 2026 in her first year with the Atlanta Dream. They split four head-to-head meetings in the regular season.

Both women have been very respectful about each other amid the high-profile nature of their on-court rivalry. Reese said prior to the Elite Eight matchup in 2024 that they "don't hate each other" and would be cordial if they saw each other in a social setting.

The 2026 FIBA World Cup marks the first time Clark and Reese have played together on Team USA. They have helped the American squad to a 3-0 record in group play and will take on Hungary in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Team USA is looking for its fifth consecutive gold medal at the World Cup. The Americans have won this tournament 11 of the 19 times it has been played dating back to 1953.