Clark and Reese Prove Rivals Are Friends as World Champions

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese sat side by side on the bench during the final round of the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup. They laughed together at times, then shared deep emotion when their team struggled. The gold medal game against France shifted right before halftime thanks to connected plays from both stars.

They changed momentum fast. Clark and Reese came out as world champions in their first high-stakes tournament together. Despite years of being framed as rivals in college and the pros, Clark insists they have always been friends.

"We've always been friends," Clark said after Sunday's final. She told OutKick, "don't do that," when asked about their bond. This page includes affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may receive compensation. This content was created by an independent team separate from the FOX newsroom.

Speculation about their relationship grew since 2023, when Reese famously pointed at her ring finger boastfully toward Clark during the women's college basketball national championship. Their second pro matchup drew more than 2.2 million viewers. Media interviews showed both speaking cordially about each other.

The former Iowa star addressed this in a 2024 Time Magazine interview for her Athlete of The Year Award. "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?"

Reese expressed a desire to be teammates early on. In a WSJ Magazine interview later in 2024, she 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. Clark recorded 10 assists while Reese finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds in Team WNBA's victory over the U.S. Olympic team.

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. This unity could just be the beginning. The 2028 Olympics are set to take place on American soil in Los Angeles.