The two rookies are WNBA All-Stars already.

One of the top storylines of the 2024 WNBA season has been the introduction of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese to the league — and whether their NCAA rivalry would carry over to the professional ranks.

Despite some explosive showdowns to this point, Clark and Reese have made it clear that their “rivalry” has been played up in the days before they will take the court together as first-time WNBA All-Stars at the league’s annual showcase in Phoenix on July 20. And it is not expected to be the only time these two fierce competitors suit up for the same side in their pro careers.

Reese hopes to team up with Clark

During an appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today,” Reese maintained consistency as she continues to think of Clark as her All-Star peer rather than her fierce rival. Reese made it clear that she is looking forward to playing alongside Clark in Phoenix — and, hopefully, in Los Angeles four years from now.

“I know we’ll be All-Stars again. Hopefully, 2028, we will be Olympians together, too,” Reese said. “So, being able to enjoy this, I’m going to Paris too to go watch the Olympics, so I’m excited for that too.”

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It’s easy to forget that this is not the first time that Reese has been complimentary toward Clark, in spite of their heated encounters in the NCAA and in the WNBA. At LSU last season, Reese told reporters that she “loves” the former Iowa star Clark and would like to be her teammate one day.

That hope will become reality for the first time on July 20 — and for many All-Star games to come. Given the pair’s current trajectory, something would have to go very wrong for Clark and Reese not be teammates at the 2028 Summer Olympics in sunny LA, ushering in a new era of women’s basketball on the international stage.