The on-court battle between Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Paige Bueckers has officially spilled into the fan polls, and the results are turning heads. Now, as fan voting for the MVP of the qualifying tournament continues, but in a stunning turn of events, a fan-vote surge has knocked the presumptive favorite from her top spot.

According to reports from earlier today, Angel Reese has surged to the #1 spot, with Bueckers right behind her. Clark, who has been a steady producer for Team USA, now sits in third place. However, Reese taking the first spot is a very recent development.

FIBA released the fan voting poll for the MVP of the qualifying tournament on Monday, when both Clark and Bueckers had stints #1, with both leading Reese by more than 100,000 votes at one point. However, by Tuesday, Reese had logged more than 1.3 million votes, easily taking the first spot over Bueckers, who sat about 45,000 votes behind.

On the court, though, there is nearly no suggestion of a decline for either Clark or Bueckers compared to Reese. Clark is second on Team USA in points per game at 11.6, and the San Juan tournament as a whole in assists per game at 6.4. On top of this, she has scored with blistering efficiency, shooting nearly 52.9% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Reese and Bueckers have also been solid. The Chicago Sky forward has logged eight rebounds per game, behind Imani McGee Stafford of Puerto Rico for the second-highest mark in the tournament, adding 6.8 points in about 16.7 minutes per game.

Bueckers has averaged 10.6 points per game on 50% from the field and 40% from three, adding 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in about 20 minutes per game.

However, it is important to note that the fan vote doesn’t actually count for the MVP award. On a disclaimer on the website, FIBA wrote:

“This Fan Vote is not an official statement from FIBA. It is created solely to enhance the experience of the fans watching the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments.”

Regardless, fans have clear takes about who Team USA’s MVP is, but according to one broadcaster, there’s a different key factor in the team’s success.

Broadcaster Backs Clark-Bueckers Pairing as Team USA’s Future Backcourt

Veteran broadcaster Robin Lundberg didn’t hide his admiration for the Caitlin Clark-Paige Bueckers duo while watching them operate for Team USA against New Zealand. Focusing on their second half stretch, Lundberg noted how the offense flowed naturally when CC had the ball in her hands.

He also highlighted the seamless fit with Bueckers and Clark, focusing on Clark’s creation and Bueckers’ ability to thrive playing off her lead guard. According to Lundberg, the pairing looks built for the long run.

“[Clark] was with Paige Bueckers again in that second half; that’s the back court for the future,” he said. “They look so beautiful when they’re playing together because Paige can score very fluidly and play within the rhythm… Caitlin had the ball, drives in, swings it out to Paige, pure. I mean, that’s what we want to see.”

For many, this confirms what has long been expected: this duo could define Team USA’s future sooner than later.