Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese sharing the same jersey was always going to attract attention. For years, the two have been placed at the center of one of women’s basketball’s most talked-about rivalries. So, seeing them now work together for Team USA has offered fans something they haven’t seen much of before. Instead of the tension that often surrounds their meetings in the WNBA, the two stars appear increasingly comfortable playing alongside one another.

Clark’s viral reaction to Reese’s missed shot in their WNBA matchup ahead of the World Cup break was another reminder of how much history exists between them. Yet their time with Team USA seems to be adding a completely different layer to that relationship. Indiana Fever journalist Robin Lundberg now sees the possibility of the rivalry evolving into something much friendlier.

“I think that the most important thing is Caitlin Clark finds Angel Reese and the world now knows peace. I mean, what a combination, CaitGel they’re calling it. Caitlin and Angel certainly gel. That’s for sure. Their games are compatible. So, you know from the rivalry to the camaraderie with Team USA,” Lundberg said in his YouTube game breakdown video.

For Lundberg, the Hungary game offered a glimpse of why the pairing can work. Clark was repeatedly able to locate Reese, including three assists to her in the first half, while Reese’s work around the boards gives Clark another option when the Fever star creates space for a shot from outside. Their strengths don’t necessarily overlap; instead, they can fill different needs on the floor. That led Lundberg to make a rather striking comparison.

“The second that Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese take the floor together. It’s no longer Magic [Johnson] and [Larry] Bird; it’s just magic together.”

There is also reason to believe the developing partnership isn’t simply something being imagined from the outside. Reese herself has spoken about becoming more comfortable with Clark and learning how to depend on her teammate during their time together with Team USA.

“We can kind of rely on each other, lean on each other,” Reese said in the post-game interview with TNT Sports after defeating Hungary.

“This is our first big national event, so being able to play with each other, learn each other and go through these learning process together, it’s fun.”

Clark has offered a similar perspective in her interview with TNT Sports. In an interview with the Associated Press, she highlighted one of the qualities that has made Reese such a formidable opponent and the competitiveness that she now gets to experience as a teammate.

“We’re both fiery, fiery competitors and we want to win, and it’s one of the things I really admire about her game. She’s competitive, and she has a tremendous motor, like she has one of the best motors in the league. She works just as hard as anybody on the court. So, it’s been fun to be able to play with her.”

That mutual respect is particularly notable because the Clark-Reese rivalry has never been limited to what happens during a game. Their supporters have built fiercely loyal camps around them, with social media often turning even the smallest interaction into another chapter of the debate.

This time, however, the two players themselves appear to be pushing back on that narrative. Clark has described some of the stories surrounding their relationship as “false takes” and made it clear that she appreciates the competitive edge between them.

Team USA’s quarterfinal against Hungary then gave that relationship something more tangible: production on the court. In the 108-56 victory, Clark and Reese were able to turn their growing understanding into actual plays. A first-quarter pick-and-roll finished with Reese at the rim after Clark set her up, while Reese later repaid the favor by finding Clark in transition for a layup. As Lundberg said:

“Angel runs the floor hard, Caitlin pays her off. Angel screams hard, Caitlin pays her off. Hell, Angel even found Caitlin on one of the plays. Clark had three assists to Angel Ree in the first half alone. And you know, the compatibility aspects are pretty obvious because Angel Reese plays great defense.”

For years, Clark versus Reese has been the story. With Team USA, though, the more interesting storyline may be what happens when there is no versus at all.