Long-time rivals Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark shared the floor as teammates for Team WNBA against Team USA during the league’s All-Star Game. The duo helped their squad register a shock win over the Olympics-bound roster and showcased that they should’ve been on the roster. While both players were brilliant individually, Isaiah Thomas highlighted one play where they combined seamlessly for a bucket.
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With under seven minutes in the fourth quarter, Clark crossed over Sabrina Ionescu and was seemingly maneuvering a layup attempt against Britney Griner. But when the center moved to get in position to block the shot, the rookie gave a wide-up open Reese a sleek no-look pass for an easy layup.
After teaming up for a sensational play, the rivals gave each other a low-five, leaving everyone, including Thomas, in awe. The Hall of Famer shared the entire sequence on his Instagram stories and captioned it, “CAITLIN CLARK ASSIST TO ANGEL REESE.”
IT shows off CC and Reese's connection pic.twitter.com/VIyPSVArhZ
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) July 21, 2024
Reese and Clark’s on-court chemistry indicated that their rivalry doesn’t exist outside their desire to beat each other on the basketball court. The Indiana Fever further star proved that point by complimenting the Chicago Sky center’s rebounding capabilities before the All-Star game. She even admitted that pairing up with her would be fun.
After the All-Star Game, Reese also gave Clark her props and claimed she would love to play alongside her for the US Women’s Basketball Team in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The duo has already helped alter the landscape of women’s basketball as rivals and are looking to take it further as teammates.
Isiah Thomas is a big fan of the Caitlin Clark Effect
The WNBA is enjoying an incredible surge in reach this year and the interest in the league has reached unprecedented heights. This is evidenced by their new media rights deal, which will reportedly pay the league $200 million annually, a 333% increase from their current 60 million-a-year contract.
Clark is the catalyst behind this incredible rise of women’s basketball and Thomas lauded her for inspiring change. During an appearance on Dan Dakich’s Don’t @ Me show, the Hall of Famer said,
“For too long, the media hasn’t really shined a light on the WNBA athletically and competitively. They will give it a nod every now and then. But now, since Caitlin has arrived.. you’re curious… you want to see it go on. I think it’s great what she’s done, and I think it’s great what the media and the WNBA and marketing and the players are doing”
Thomas is excited to see the WNBA grow into a behemoth. He wants more players to become household names like Reese and Clark have in the last 18 months and turn the league into a global phenomenon like the NBA.
