Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese have fit together like matching puzzle pieces. Despite the exorbitant expectations from their Team USA debuts, they have delivered. Chelsea Gray was quick to make an interesting analogy about the pair, and it opens up an interesting discussion.

In three games, Reese has averaged 7 points and 9.3 rebounds while playing 15.9 minutes per game. Bueckers is among the top scorers, averaging 12.3 points and 3 rebounds per game. After Team USA’s 93-59 win against Italy, veteran Chelsea Gray hinted that they should be playing more together. 

“The other day I was calling them peanut butter and jelly… they were in the wrong place,” Gray said after the Italy win. “But it’s really, it’s really cool, man. Their respect for the game and they’re just constantly getting better.”

Bueckers is a score-first guard with an excellent passing range. Reese has transitioned into a tall point-forward who can bring the ball up as well as anchor the paint. Both are immensely impactful players capable of carrying their team on their backs. 

“Angel, everybody got blocked out around her every single time. You can’t take a possession off. She’s able to push the ball,” Gray further said. “And then Paige, her ability to read the defense really well with her shot, but also she’s a good passer. And so, they just do different things, but they’re constantly getting better, and I love seeing their growth.”

Unfortunately, these superstars are currently on WNBA teams that are unlikely to contend for the title over the next couple of years. Bueckers’ rookie season was all about her at Dallas, as her supporting cast was ineffective. They finished 10-34 last year. But she is locked in on taking Wings to another level.

Reese, on the other hand, is in a gray situation with the Chicago Sky. She absolutely tormented the management in the media during the past season and made it clear she would consider leaving. The issue has cooled since. 

“I’m under contract, so yes, I plan on returning to the Sky,” Reese said. “[I’m] continuing to talk to [head coach] Tyler [Marsh], and building that relationship with [GM] Jeff [Pagliocca] and Tyler.”

Yet, it’s questionable whether she can stomach another mediocre season. Dallas is a viable destination for Reese, especially considering her recent fit with Paige Bueckers. The Wings team is set for a developmental stage. It is young with the 2026 No. 1 draft pick, the likes of Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly.

Dallas needs a forward who can play around the rim. They were one of the worst teams at scoring in the paint last season. While rebounding was a virtue, averaging just more than 35 per game, the team is looking to build for the future. Reese’s all-around abilities and her stardom can take the franchise to new heights. She can be the pick-and-roll initiator for Bueckers, and they can form a killer two-man game that can break defenses. 

“We’re going to play harder than anybody in this league,” Wings’ new coach Jose Fernandez said. “We’re going to rim-run harder, our Wings are going to sprint harder, we’re going to attack the rim, we’re going to create second shot opportunities, we’re going to cut hard, we’re going to screen hard, we’re going to stop the point of attack early, and we’re going to be tough to play against. That’s going to be the identity.”

Reese has a very high motor and is a great second-chance finisher. Her 2.9 second-chance points per game ranked 6th in the league last year. Her off-ball movement has also evolved with time, and her cuts to the basket have become deadlier. Reese’s physicality and effort have always been top-notch, giving Fernandez’s Dallas an edge.

If Dallas wants to build a potential contender, Bueckers and Reese would be the ideal base. The contract situation poses a hurdle, as Reese has 2 more years left on her rookie contract. However, if Reese really wants to, she can force a trade. The forward’s response to her Team USA experience further highlights her attitude. 

Angel Reese Sends 1-Word Message On Her Team USA Experience

Angel Reese has just two goals in her basketball career. “I don’t really care about records. I just want to win a championship,” Reese said in an interview with Elle’s Kayla Webley Adler. “The two most important goals for me before the end of my career are winning a championship, playing on the Olympic team, and winning a gold medal.” She has taken the first step by making it to Team USA.

Now that she is there, Angel Reese is experiencing a nice change of scenery from the Chicago Sky. During her two years with the team, Reese has never won three games in a row. However, with Team USA, the story is different. Team USA has won all three games against Senegal, Puerto Rico, and Italy. After making 5 points and 7 rebounds in 14 minutes against Italy, Reese clearly stated that her favorite part about Team USA is ‘Winning’.

Reese’s drive to win makes her move away from the Sky still a possibility. Yes, they can reload in this free agency, but will that be enough? The prospect of playing with Paige Bueckers seems too enticing to avoid.