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Caitlin Clark reveals troubling issue about being teammates with Angel Reese - after the rivals both made WNBA All-Star team
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird famously joined forces on the 1992 Dream Team, Wayne Gretzky shared a line with Mario Lemieux at the 1987 Canada Cup, and now WNBA rivals Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese teaming up against the US Olympic team at the upcoming All-Star game.
'I don't think I've ever been [Reese's] teammate before, even at USA Basketball,' Clark said Tuesday night after her Indiana Fever fell to the reigning-champion Las Vegas Aces, 88-69, in front of 20,366 fans – the fifth largest crowd in league history.
Reese, a power forward for the Chicago Sky, and Clark are headlining the WNBA All-Star team that will square off with the US Olympic squad on July 20 in Phoenix. Both were snubbed by Team USA, but now have a chance to prove themselves against A'Ja Wilson & Co., who will be using the exhibition as an Olympic warmup before the Paris Games
But while Clark is admittedly excited about playing with Reese – her college rival and main competition for the WNBA's Rookie of the Year honors – she's concerned that they'll divert some of the attention that should be going to the Olympians and other All-Stars.
'I know people will be really excited about it, but I hope it doesn't take away from everyone else,' Clark said. 'This is a huge accomplishment for everybody on Team USA and everyone on Team WNBA. They all deserve the same praise. I don't want it to take away from any of that and be the focal point of All-Star weekend because that's not fair to them.'
Indiana's Caitlin Clark handles the ball during the game against the Las Vegas Aces
Angel Reese recently set a WNBA record with her 10th-consecutive double-double
Clark is joined by Fever teammate Aliyah Boston on the WNBA All-Star team. This marks Boston's second All-Star nod in as many years.
Clark was the leading vote recipient with 700,735 while Boston was second – just 72,000 votes behind. Reese was fifth with 381,518 votes.
'Obviously, this is something that's really hard to accomplish, so the best we can celebrate all of them will be great and just gonna obviously soak in the experience 'cause, like, you never know if you're ever gonna be able to get back there and it'll be fun for all of us,' Clark said after Tuesday's loss in Las Vegas.
Reese, the seventh pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, became emotional when discussing her selection to the team.
'I'm just so happy,' she said through tears. 'All the work I put in, coming into this league so many people doubted me - didn't think my game would translate and I wouldn't be the player that I was in college ... I trusted the process and I believed.'
Other All-Stars include Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings) and nine-time selection Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm).
Clark and Reese are already inextricably linked in women's basketball history.
Their 2023 NCAA Finals matchup, when Reese's LSU Tigers won a national championship over Clark's Hawkeyes, remains one of the highest-rated games in the sport's history. Their April 4 rematch in the Elite 8 ultimately topped that mark, and the two have had a similar impact on the WNBA, which is recording record viewership in 2024.
And they haven't exactly disappointed on the court.
Reese recently recorded her WNBA record 10th-consecutive double-double, while Clark has moved into 17th in the league in scoring at 16 points a game.
And aside from some recent shooting woes (Clark is 3 for 17 from deep over her last two outings), the former Hawkeyes star has helped the Fever to wins in six of their last eight games.
Currently the Fever (8-13) and Sky (7-11) are battling for the eighth and final spot in the WNBA playoffs.
'I'm just so happy,' she told reporters through tears. 'All the work I put in, coming into this league so many people doubted me - didn't think my game would translate and I wouldn't be the player that I was in college ... I trusted the process and I believed.'
'I don't think I've ever been her teammate before, even at USA Basketball,' Clark said about linking up with former college rival Reese, per ESPN. 'I know people will be really excited about it, but I hope it doesn't take away from everyone else.
'Obviously, this is something that's really hard to accomplish, so the best we can celebrate all of them will be great and just gonna obviously soak in the experience 'cause, like, you never know if you're ever gonna be able to get back there and it'll be fun for all of us.