On Wednesday, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese found themselves on opposite sides for the first time since the WNBA All-Star break. It also marked the third meeting between the Dallas Wings and Atlanta Dream this season, with Atlanta having won each of the first two matchups. So naturally, the Wings entered the night looking to finally get one back. But before either team could settle into the game, Bueckers and Reese quickly reminded everyone that there was more than just a victory at stake.
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Less than four minutes into the opening quarter, Atlanta was looking to trim Dallas’ early four-point lead when Reese repeatedly tried to bully her way toward the basket, but Bueckers held her ground and forced Reese to pass the ball. And before Atlanta could get a shot up, the officials whistled Reese for an offensive foul. This sequence prompted Bueckers to respond by clapping as both of them started chirping at each other.
“This is what you gave me. I love it,” one of the broadcasters said during the exchange.
But this intensity between them hardly came as a surprise to anyone. Earlier this week, the WNBA shared (later deleted) a video that showed Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers making a friendly $400 wager over which team would win the game on Wednesday. So with money on the line, both of them locked into competitive mode.
Still, let’s be clear about the fact that this fiery moment was never a sign of bad blood between the two.
Just days earlier, Angel Reese and Bueckers were teammates during All-Star Weekend in Chicago, where they suited up together on Team Coop. Besides that, their relationship has long been built on a unique balance of friendship away from the court and relentless competitiveness once the game begins.
“We’re obviously friends off the court, but between the court, we’re not friends,” Reese said back in May.
And for what it’s worth, Bueckers has also expressed a similar mindset.
“I love Angel as a competitor. We’re great friends off the court as well. She just brings the best out of you,” Bueckers said in April. “She’s a crap talker just like me.”
As for their bet, Angel Reese ultimately got the last laugh.
Although Dallas led for most of the night, a stunning five-point play from Allisha Gray in the closing seconds lifted the Dream to an 82-81 victory. Bueckers finished the night with 16 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists, while Reese added 22 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists in Atlanta’s dramatic win.