Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will put aside their growing rivalry to team up on the WNBA All-Star team later this month, it has been revealed.
The pair of superstar rookies were selected Tuesday to be part of the 20th WNBA All-Star Game, and will face off in Phoenix against the Olympic team they both missed last month.
As expected, Clark was the top fan vote-getter with 700,735 votes, while Indiana teammate Aliyah Boston came in second, 72,000 votes behind. Reese came in fifth with 381,518 votes. Wilson and Stewart were third and fourth. Wilson got 607,300 votes and Stewart got 424,135.
Clark and Reese have been a boon to the WNBA in terms of ratings, merchandise sales and attendance. They’re also playing well on the court: Clark ranks third in assists at 6.9 and Reese leads the WNBA in rebounds at 11.4.
It is only the eighth time two rookies have made the team, the last being Shoni Schimmel and Chiney Ogwumike in 2014.
Angel Reese (left) and Caitlin Clark will put aside their rivalry and become teammates.
Clark (pictured Tuesday night) received the most votes of any player on the All-Star Team.
Joining the WNBA team’s rookies were Connecticut’s DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones, Atlanta’s Allisha Gray, Los Angeles’ Dearica Hamby, New York’s Jonquel Jones, Minnesota’s Kayla McBride, Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell, Seattle’s Nneka Ogwumike and Dallas’ Arike Ogunbowale.
Ogunbowale was the MVP of the 2021 All-Star Game, which featured the same format in which Team USA played against a league All-Star team. The WNBA team won that game.
The U.S. Olympic team, which will seek its eighth consecutive gold medal in Paris later this month, also features Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi. Both Phoenix players will have the opportunity to play in front of their home crowd in the exhibition match. Taurasi will be competing for her record sixth Olympic gold medal.
Reese, who impressed again on Tuesday night, will join rival Clark in Phoenix.
The rookie superstars will play against the likes of Brittney Griner and the Olympic roster.
Three of Wilson’s Las Vegas teammates — Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young — are on Team USA. Gray was on the Tokyo Olympic team, while Plum and Young helped the Americans win their first-ever 3-on-3 gold medal.
Among the returning athletes from the Tokyo Games are Napheesa Collier and Jewell Loyd. Several first-time Olympians will join the team, including Alyssa Thomas, Sabrina Ionescu and Kahleah Copper. All three played on the U.S. team that won the World Cup in Australia in 2022.
Every player chosen for Team USA or the WNBA team is considered an All-Star, making Taurasi’s 11th appearance in the game. She is now second only to Sue Bird for the most players of all time. Bird was a 13-time All-Star.
The league will have a 3-point challenge and skills contest the night before the All-Star game.
