Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Team WNBA player Arike Ogunbowale (24) reacts after a play during the first half against the USA Women’s National Team at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Arike Ogunbowale’s MVP-caliber performance at the recent WNBA All-Star event received widespread praise. Caitlin Clark joined the list during the game, nominating the Dallas Wings star as arguably “the best one-on-one player” in the league. A few days later, Ogunbowale reciprocated this praise, calling the Indiana Fever lucky to have Clark.

During a recent conversation with ESPN’s SportsCenter, the 27-year-old admired the Fever rookie’s qualities as a competitor and rival. Shortly after, Ogunbowale revealed her experience of playing with Clark for the first time. In the process, she showered high praise for the Fever star, stating,

“I’ve been a fan of her since she has been in college…You guys obviously see my game, and I see a lot of similarities. She knows how to get a bucket. She can create for her. She can create for her teammates… It’s fun playing against her… But playing with her, I kinda just got to pick her brain a little bit and just see how she think and how she moves as a teammate… Indiana is definitely lucky to have her”.

This extended the mutual respect between the WNBA stars. Despite being rivals during the season, they never let their competitive spirits overshadow their judgments of each other. As a result, Clark lauded Ogunbowale as the best at her craft, while the latter held the rookie’s skill set in high regard.

The Golden Goose couldn’t hold back her excitement while witnessing Ogunbowale playing. She said, “She just has that skill. She can get whatever shot, whenever she wants it… It was fun to watch. That was exciting for me… Oh my goodness. Arike is starting to feel it, get her the ball. She is probably the best 1 on 1 player in our league.”

This admiration notably translated into success at the recent event. They teamed up to lead the WNBA All-Stars to a 117-109 victory over Team USA. While Clark orchestrated the plays with her 10 assists, Ogunbowale never let the pressure get to her teammates with a 34-point performance.

So, WNBA fans look forward to more such partnerships between these players. After all, given the potential of this new crop of rising stars, the upcoming years promise to excite the viewers about the league’s future.