Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese sat next to each other when they were on the bench throughout the final round of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. They were seen laughing together at times, and sharing emotion when their team was down.
They connected on several big plays, and changed the momentum of the gold medal game against France right before halftime.
The World Cup was the first time the two played together in high-stakes games, and they came out as world champions. And despite college and pro careers where they were frequently framed as rivals, Clark claims the two have always been friends.
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Caitlin Clark of USA, Angel Reese of USA during the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Germany 2026 quarter-final between USA and Hungary at Berlin Arena on Sept. 10, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. (Christina Pahnke – sampics/Getty Images)
“We’ve always been friends,” Clark said of Reese after Sunday’s final, adding, “don’t do that,” in response to the question by OutKick about Clark and Reese’s friendship.
There has been plenty of speculation about Clark and Reese’s relationship ever since the 2023 women’s college basketball national championship when Reese famously pointed at her ring finger boastfully toward Clark. When the two got to the pros, their second matchup against each other drew more than 2.2 million viewers.
In media interviews, the two had been cordial when speaking about each other.
The former Iowa star was asked about Reese in a in a 2024 Time Magazine interview for Clark’s Athlete of The Year Award.
Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese look on during practice as part of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 on Sept. 5, 2026, in Berlin, Germany. (NBAE via Getty Images)
“We’re not best friends, by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another,” she said of Reese. “Yes, we have had tremendous battles. But when have I ever guarded her? And when has she guarded me?”
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But, even early in their rivalry, Reese expressed a desire to be teammates with Clark.
In a WSJ Magazine interview later in 2024, Reese said, “We brought a lot of fans to this league. And I think we’re going to continue to do that. And one day, hopefully, we’ll be teammates.”
They first became teammates at the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game, when Clark recorded 10 assists and Reese finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds in Team WNBA’s victory over the U.S. Olympic team.
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Caitlin Clark #12 high-fives Angel Reese #15 of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team during a game against Hungary on Sept. 10, 2026, at Berlin Arena in Berlin, Germany. (NBAE via Getty Images)
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In March, Clark and Reese helped the U.S. go 5-0 at the World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico. And now they’ve finished the job in Berlin.
And it could be just the beginning of the unity between Clark and Reese on the big stage, with the 2028 Olympics set to take place on American soil in Los Angeles.