Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese to play as rookies for WNBA All-Star Game

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PHOENIX — Where Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese go, the attention follows.

The rivalry between Clark and Reese captivated the nation during their college days at Iowa and LSU respectively, and the well-deserved hype has followed the two superstars all the way to the WNBA.

Clark, drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever, and Reese, selected No. 7 by the Chicago Sky, have been played off against each other throughout their careers—by their dedicated fans and in the media—but a white flag has temporarily been raised. They were both named to the 2024 WNBA All-Star team, becoming the first pair of rookies to earn a nod since 2014. After years of competing head-to-head, Clark and Reese will team up for the first time in their careers.

“Everyone can wear their ‘get along’ shirt together for at least one day,” Reese joked Friday for the WNBA All-Star Game, Saturday in Phoenix. “I’m looking forward to it.”

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“It’s super rare to be here as a rookie and to be with the two of us is really awesome,” Clark added Friday. “The attention that we bring … (carries) to everyone. I think it’s going to help the game grow.”

Clark and Reese are no strangers to breaking records. Earlier this week, Clark set a WNBA record for single-game assists with 19 during the Fever’s game against the Dallas Wings. Reese set a record for most consecutive double-doubles earlier this month with 15, the most since Candace Parker had 12 in a row between 2009 and 2010. Reese leads the league in offensive rebounds per game (4.7), while Clark leads the league in assists per game (8.2). And both are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the WNBA Rookie of the Year rankings, though the order depends on who you ask.

It’s one thing to get people’s attention, but it’s another thing to keep it. Basketball Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller, who will coach Reese, Clark and Team WNBA in the All-Star Game against the U.S. Olympic team, said she “loves and appreciates their rivalry.”

“I think it’s great what they’ve done for the women’s game, from the college level all the way up, and it’s working,” Miller said. “It was just a matter of time. Great stories. Great storylines. But now it comes down to one thing: It’s about basketball and it’s about winning. These young ladies and their teams, people don’t want to meet them in the final stretch. Now it’s starting to click. It’s starting to click in Chicago and it’s starting to click in Indiana.”

Despite being on the same team, the competition between Reese and Clark is still there. Clark was known for her logo threes at Iowa, but it was Reese who beat her in the half-court shot competition following a Team WNBA practice at the Footprint Center on Friday. “I love half-court shots. … I finally got mine and my $100. So I’m feeling good about tomorrow,” Reese said.

Caitlin Clark Opts Out of 3-Point Contest. Here’s Why

It came as a shock to WNBA fans to see Caitlin Clark’s name missing from the roster for the 2024 WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest. On Friday, the Fever rookie explained that she was invited to participate, but ultimately decided not to participate in order to prioritize the All-Star Game and get some rest.

“I’ve been playing basketball for a year,” Clark said. “It’s not easy to just show up and shoot off the rack. I’ve never done that before. It’s not something I’ve had a lot of time to practice. I’ve helped my team win games. I’m just enjoying this break. There’s going to be plenty of opportunities to do that at some point.”

Clark has had a long, hard year. The 22-year-old wrapped up her college career in April at Iowa, where she became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Div. I history and led the Hawkeyes to an NCAA title. Clark was selected by the Fever with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 15 and made her WNBA debut a month later in May.

“I need a break and I need to take some time for myself to enjoy what I want to do,” Clark added. “Sometimes that can be hard in the position that I’m in, but I think it’s the healthiest thing for me.”

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