Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will put their burgeoning rivalry aside to team up on the WNBA All-Star team later this month.
The pair of superstar rookies were selected on Tuesday to be part of the WNBA’s 20th All-Star Game, and they’ll face off in Phoenix against the Olympics team both missed out on last month.
Their rivalry in the opening months of their WNBA careers has propelled the sport to new heights, with some even claiming they are being used to start a race war in America.
They faced off in the college national championship last season and their rivalry came to a head in the WNBA last month, when Clark was struck in the face by Reese during Chicago’s win over Indiana.
They will need to put their differences aside for one game only though, as they team up to face off against the Olympics team – just weeks after finding out they had both been snubbed from the roster heading to Paris this summer.
Angel Reese (left) and Caitlin Clark will put their rivalry aside and become team-mates
Reese (far right) was whistled for a flagrant foul on Clark during a recent WNBA match-up
In the fan vote, Clark – perhaps unsurprisingly – won by a mile, receiving 700,735, with her Indiana teammate Aliyah Boston finishing second – 72,000 votes behind.
Reese was fifth with 381,518 votes. Wilson and Stewart were third and fourth. Wilson garnered 607,300 votes and Stewart had 424,135.
Clark and Reese have been a boon for the WNBA in ratings, merchandise sales and attendance. They are also playing well on the court with Clark third in assists with 6.9 and Reese leading the WNBA in rebounds at 11.4.
It’s only the eighth time that two rookies have been on the team. The last was Shoni Schimmel and Chiney Ogwumike in 2014.
Clark (pictured on Tuesday night) received the most votes of any player on the All-Star Team
Joining the rookies on the WNBA team were DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones of Connecticut, Allisha Gray of Atlanta, Dearica Hamby of Los Angeles, Jonquel Jones of New York, Kayla McBride of Minnesota, Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana, Nneka Ogwumike of Seattle and Arike Ogunbowale of Dallas.
Ogunbowale was the MVP of the 2021 All-Star game which featured the same format of the U.S. team playing a league All-Star team. The WNBA team won that game.
The U.S. Olympics team, which will be going for an eighth consecutive gold medal in Paris later this month, also features Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi. The pair of Phoenix players will get a chance to play in front of their home crowd in the exhibition game. Taurasi will be vying for a record sixth Olympic gold medal.
Reese, who impressed again on Tuesday night, will join up with her rival Clark in Phoenix
The rookie superstars will play against the likes of Brittney Griner, and the Olympics roster
Three of Wilson’s Las Vegas teammates – Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young – are on the U.S. team. Gray was on the Tokyo Olympic squad while Plum and Young both helped the Americans win the inaugural 3-on-3 gold medal.
Other returners from the Tokyo Games include Napheesa Collier and Jewell Loyd. Several first-time Olympians will join the team with Alyssa Thomas, Sabrina Ionescu and Kahleah Copper. All three played on the American team that won the World Cup in Australia in 2022.
Every player chosen for either the U.S. team or the WNBA squad is considered an All-Star making this Taurasi’s 11th time in the game. She’s now alone in second behind Sue Bird for most all time. Bird was a 13-time All-Star.
The league will have a 3-point challenge and skill contest the night before the All-Star game.
