“W success is Unrivaled success and vice versa.” That’s how Napheesa Collier shut down all the noise. For months now, people have been throwing shade, questioning whether Unrivaled – a 3×3 league co-founded by Collier and Breanna Stewart – conflicts with the WNBA. And while the chatter still continues, if you ask the players who actually participated in the new league, they’ve got nothing but good things to say. Just ask Angel Reese.

Unrivaled gave Angel everything. The spotlight, a huge leap in her game, a mentor in Lisa Leslie, and some real ones in her corner. Reese’s squad, Rose, went from early struggles to literally winning it all. Her rebounding numbers were off the charts, and her touch around the rim was way better. So, when she had a mic in front of her, she knew exactly who to thank: Collier, Unrivaled, and… Alex Bazell (Collier’s husband and the league’s president).

“She [Napheesa] worked with me all offseason – her and Alex [Bazell] worked with me all offseason on my game. And kudos to them, because they helped me a lot… staying poised, staying patient,” Reese said, adding that Alex still texts her. And the support showed in his six-word message for Reese on social media: “A superstar ⭐️ and only getting better!” That wasn’t a one-off, either. He has been constantly cheering the Sky star loud and proud.

Even when Reese was grinding through 3×3 workouts and posted, “ima make that 💩 happen regardless!” Bazell was in the comments with a full row of 👏 emojis. The respect is very mutual. Same story with Phee. She’s constantly showing love on Reese’s IG posts. But the biggest stamp of approval was when she picked her for her All-Star team. That’s trust. But while they’ll be teammates at the All-Star Game soon, this weekend they found themselves on opposite sides. 

In an unexpected twist, Reese’s Sky came at the top. The Chicago Sky held off a second-half rally from the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on Saturday in a gritty 87-81 win at home. Ariel Atkins went off with 27 points, leading the charge. But the frontcourt duo, the Skyscrapers, showed out. In just her second game back from injury – and her first back in the starting five – Kamilla Cardoso dropped 17 points and pulled in 15 boards. 

Angel had yet another monster night. She posted 19 points and 11 rebounds, making it her eighth straight double-double. This win was huge for Chicago. Like, the first win over a team with a winning record is huge! The Sky now sit at 7-13, while the Lynx are still at the top of the league, but definitely didn’t expect to take that L. To make it spicier, the rematch is already around the corner. Minnesota will be out for revenge in the next game. But off the hardwood, it is still nothing but love. Phee and Reese are locked in together for the All-Star. 

Angel Reese excited about joining Team Collier for the All-Star clash with Caitlin Clark

Angel Reese is suiting up for Team Collier, and that means she’s going head-to-head with Caitlin Clark. After receiving the most fan votes, Clark and Napheesa Collier were named All-Star captains for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game and got the honors of drafting their squads. While Reese wasn’t named a starter this year, she still made the All-Star cut for the second time, finishing fifth in fan voting and earning her spot as a reserve.

When the time came for Collier to pick from the reserves, she wasted no time locking in her third pick: Reese. “We need some rebounding. I’m going to go with ‘mebounds.’ Angel, we need some rebounding on our team,” Phee joked while making her selection. The Chicago Sky star couldn’t hold back her excitement about teaming up with Collier. “We don’t have to guard each other,” Reese laughed when asked about the Clark matchup.

“Just happy to be with Phee. Obviously, she’s a great player. She deserves to be a captain this year… But I’m excited to play with great talent. We play defense. It’s gonna be super competitive,” Reese further said. Along with Reese, Team Collier is stacked on both ends with reserves like Courtney Williams, Skyler Diggins, Alyssa Thomas, Kelsey Plum, and Rhyne Howard.

While the spotlight may land on Caitlin vs. Angel, it’s clear Reese is locked in on having fun, showing out, and repping hard for Team Phee.