Should Angel Reese & Caitlin Clark Play on the Same Team? Our Fans Have a Resounding Verdict

“Let’s not make it something that it’s not!” That’s what Caitlin Clark said after the fiery Chicago Sky–Indiana Fever season opener. She never used the word rivalry, but we all heard it echo between the lines. And in sports, when two competitors keep dodging the word, it suggests something. 

Sure, it doesn’t have to be some deep, world-shaking feud. Rivalries can be fun, they can be fierce, and in this case, they can be something that’s bringing massive eyes to a league that’s been underappreciated for years. But what if these two weren’t battling each other? What if they were on the same team? The thought alone is enough to make WNBA fans lean forward. 

The origin story of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s heated history

If we’re talking facts, it’s really more of a media-built rivalry than anything else. But funny enough, it didn’t even begin directly between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The seed was planted thanks to Reese’s now-teammate Hailey Van Lith.

Remember the 2023 Elite Eight, Iowa vs. Louisville? That’s when Clark pulled out that now-iconic “you can’t see me” gesture. Some swore it was toward her strength coach, others argued it looked aimed at Van Lith, and the internet… well, it did what the internet does.

Fast forward to the championship game: Reese leads LSU to its first title, taking down Clark’s Iowa squad and earning Most Outstanding Player honors. And at the end, she hits Clark with the same “you can’t see me” gesture. The takes flew in as some called it unsportsmanlike, while others (including Clark herself) defended it as pure competitiveness.

From there, the “rivalry” label stuck. 

The next big chapter came in the 2024 Elite Eight, where Clark avenged their defeat by knocking out LSU. That tied things up 1–1 in their college careers… except people tend to forget Reese actually beat Clark three times back when she was at Maryland. But the pro stage, that’s been Clark’s domain so far.

In the WNBA, she holds a 4–1 edge over Reese, and every matchup’s had that extra spark fans can’t get enough of. Even if it’s not Reese herself going at Clark, it’s someone from her squad. To end their rookie season, Clark claimed the 2024 Rookie of the Year award, but a single anonymous vote for Reese kept her from a unanimous win.

Which brings us to the big question… after all the history, the gestures, and the hype, do fans still want to see them on the same team? Here’s what we found. 

Clark-Reese Super Team? SGG Fans Have Spoken

We recently ran a poll on EssentiallySports’ flagship newsletter She Got Game, asking, “Do you ever want to see Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese playing on the same team?” And as expected, almost 70% of fans voted “No.” Interestingly, the “Yes” and “Maybe but only in an All-Star Game” options received almost the same number of votes, showing that while people are curious, they’re also cautious. 

And fair enough, we’ve already seen them together in an All-Star setting. One fan summed it up perfectly, “Together for a limited time, they have the same goal. If they’re on the same team for an extended period, I think the ugly pettiness that devastates games will just get worse.” That sentiment came from someone who still hoped for another All-Star pairing, and it’s hard to argue with the logic.

After all, we still remember the moment that “fed the internet” – the two then-rookies proving they could compete with Olympians. Reese posted a double-double, Clark led Team WNBA with 10 assists, and together they helped secure a 117-109 victory over the USA during the WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix, Arizona. 

The play that stuck with everyone came late, when Clark hit her 10th assist of the night by feeding Reese for a layup that stretched Team WNBA’s lead to nine points in the fourth quarter. It was their only direct connection all night, though. Both players knew in the moment they’d given fans something special. But that’s as much they’d likely allow. Because time and again, the two young talents have reminded us they are both ‘competitive’. Having that energy on the same side, won’t likely serve us the same. 

One fan put it bluntly, “Both would want superior control. Not truly team-first oriented.” It’s a point worth considering. While duos like Maya Moore & Sylvia Fowles or Candace Parker & Nneka Ogwumike thrived together in the WNBA, history also shows us how superstar pairings can turn sour. 

In the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant delivered three straight championships for the Lakers, but their power struggles fractured the team. Shaq now says the feud was “all marketing,” but anyone who lived through it knows the tension was real. Simply, when you put two alpha competitors together, the potential for greatness comes with the risk of implosion. And Chi-Town Barbie has made it clear that the spotlight on the league isn’t just about Clark, she’s part of that draw too. So, mindset like this can create issues. 

One more shared the sentiment, but with a positive outlook. “More fireworks with them on opposite sides.” That took us straight to the season opener. Clark with team-high 20 points, 10, rebounds, and 10 assists, while Reese went for team-high 12 points and a whopping 17 rebounds! Plus, who could forget the scuffle that forced 3 techs? It is moments like these that make people tune in.

However, it’s not just emotion driving the conversation; it’s business. “Rivalrys such as this are good for the WNBA brand,” one said. True that.  When we look at the numbers, the Iowa–LSU rematch in spring 2024 pulled in 12.3 million television viewers, still the record. The season opener between Clark’s Fever and Reese’s Sky drew 2.7 million viewers on ABC, peaking at 3.1 million, making it the most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN platforms. 

Tickets for Fever–Sky matchups have soared in price. The truth is, longtime fans and brand-new ones alike want to see these two face off because it’s rare to have a rivalry this visible, this marketable, and this evenly matched.

Still, not everyone is against it. Some fans insist Clark and Reese could create a WNBA superteam and help each other grow as players. And while Clark, as an All-Star captain this year, didn’t pick Reese, there’s still one major possibility for them to share a roster in the near future: the Olympics. “Though from their college days they have been perceived as rivals, I believe they will both one day represent Team USA together,” one optimistic fan wrote. That dream doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

Reese has already hinted at it herself, even while smiling about the All-Star Game assist, “It’s so cool… I know when she gets the ball I’m running looking for it because I know she’s gonna throw it. She’s been great to play with. The future… we’re going to be playing with each other a lot. Hopefully, in four years we’ll be Olympians together.” And looking at the way their careers are tracking, it’s a real possibility.

Still, don’t expect it to be all hugs and best-friend energy. Clark has been very clear. “We’re not best friends, by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another,” she has said. Reese frames it similarly, calling their dynamic more of a “competition” than a rivalry rooted in negativity. “Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that,” explaining how the rivalry is strictly on the court.

All in all, the poll shows most fans want them to stay opponents, but there’s no denying the intrigue of what they could achieve side by side. They’ve already given us moments to remember in limited doses. Whether the WNBA – or Team USA –  will give us the extended version remains to be seen. But if it ever happens, it will be must-watch basketball.

You can also drop your take below: Would you want them on the same team?