Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese put aside rivalry to lead All-Star win over Olympic basketball team
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark made the most of their All-Star debuts as the WNBA team beat the U.S. Olympic team 117-109 on the night of July 21. Teammate Arike Ogunbowale set the WNBA All-Star scoring record with 34 points.
Caitlin Clark (right), Allisha Gray, (center), and Aliyah Boston, (left), of Team WNBA, celebrate a 3-point basket made by a teammate during the second half of the WNBA All-Star basketball game, July 20, 2024, in Phoenix. The All-Stars beat Team USA 117-109.
Ross D. Franklin/AP
Phoenix
Caitlin Clark delivered the pinpoint passes. Angel Reese supplied the hustle and rebounding. The two WNBA rookies made life difficult for the U.S. Olympic team. Someday soon, the duo might be the ones providing the highlights for the red, white, and blue.聽
Ms. Clark finished with a team-high 10 assists while Ms. Reese added 12 points and 11 rebounds in the WNBA All-Stars鈥� 117-109 victory over the Americans during All-Star weekend. Arike Ogunbowale set the WNBA All-Star scoring record with 34 points. Team USA used the game as a tune-up for the Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26.
Ms. Clark and Ms. Reese teamed up for the first time after being rivals in college. Ms. Reese鈥檚 LSU Tigers topped Ms. Clark鈥檚 Iowa team for the national championship in 2023. The Hawkeyes knocked out the Tigers this past year in the Elite Eight.
鈥淓verybody can wear their 鈥楪et Along鈥� shirts together for one day, at least,鈥� Ms. Reese said, joking, before the game. 鈥淪o I know a lot of people are going to come and watch us, to see all of us. But there鈥檚 a lot of talent within both rosters of the teams, so they鈥檙e in for a good one.鈥�
While there has been so much hype on the pair entering the WNBA, the duo has shown they can compete with the best players in the league. That鈥檚 helped show this isn鈥檛 just a moment for the WNBA, but a larger movement for the sport.
鈥淚 definitely think it鈥檚 much more than women鈥檚 basketball. I think you look across the board at all women鈥檚 sports, and people are really invested in it and show up for it,鈥� Ms. Clark said.聽
鈥淥bviously, women鈥檚 basketball has kind of been at the forefront of all of it. And for good reason, as it should across the board, whether it鈥檚 college women鈥檚 basketball or the WNBA. The talent level has been really good.鈥�
While both Ms. Clark and Ms. Reese have been challenged through physical play on the court and a lot of noise off the court during their rookie season, they鈥檝e flourished.
鈥淚 told Angel at the draft that I鈥檓 not trying to put anything heavy on her, but this league depends on you playing, you know, well. And she understood, she understood that things weren鈥檛 going to be handed to her,鈥� said WNBA union president and Seattle Storm center Nneka Ogwumike. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 why she鈥檚 doing well. I think there were a lot of naysayers and I think there was a lot of debris coming Caitlin鈥檚 way, and they鈥檝e handled it well.鈥�
The pair have helped the league to record ratings and attendance through the first part of the season, building on what they achieved in college. Ms. Clark finished as the NCAA鈥檚 Division I all-time scoring leader and Ms. Reese won an NCAA championship at LSU.
The pair鈥檚 success so far in their rookie season potentially helped increase the value of the WNBA for its new media right鈥檚 deal that is worth a reported $2.2 billion over 11 years.
鈥淭hey are handling it the best that they can and it鈥檚 always good that they can back it up,鈥� said Las Vegas Aces star A鈥檍a Wilson. 鈥淭o actually be good at what they do is important because it wouldn鈥檛 be good if they weren鈥檛 and no one wants to see you play.鈥�
Ms. Reese is currently second in the league in rebounding (11.9) and Ms. Clark is tops in assists (8.2), according to the WNBA. She just broke the league鈥檚 single-game assist mark with 19 against Dallas in Indiana鈥檚 last game before the Olympic break. Ms. Reese already broke the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles in a season with 15.
Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne, and Skylar Diggins-Smith were among the college players who had major hype entering the 2013 WNBA draft. The trio have had stellar WNBA careers, but didn鈥檛 move the needle the same way Ms. Clark, Ms. Reese, and the rest of this rookie class have so far.
鈥淲e saw what they could do and why wouldn鈥檛 it translate over?鈥� Ms. Griner said. 鈥淭hey put in all the hard work and they do everything. They鈥檙e not just running on media, they actually play hard, too. I鈥檓 just happy that there鈥檚 validation for all those people that had doubts.鈥�
This story was reported by The Associated Press.