Angel Reese was pipped to the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award by Caitlin Clark, who enjoyed an incredible maiden season with Indiana Fever.

Angel Reese has admitted that she hopes to one day become team-mates with fellow WNBA star Caitlin Clark. The Chicago Sky prodigy has just enjoyed a whirlwind maiden season as a rookie, breaking the league record for rebounds per game with an average of 13.1.

The 22-year-old also averaged 13.6 points per game for her side, despite the Sky finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference overall, and received one of the 67 total votes for the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year award. And while Reese’s own accomplishments were impressive, her first season in the big leagues was somewhat overshadowed by rival Clark, who enjoyed a record-busting season of her own with Indiana Fever.

Despite spats of trash talk between Reese and Clark as the season progressed, as with all good competitive rivalries, Reese has made a telling statement on her counterpart – “one day, hopefully, we’ll be team-mates”.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Reese noted how her healthy competition with Clark has brought many fans to the sport, before adding: “And I think we’re going to continue to do that. And one day, hopefully, we’ll be teammates.”

And it’s not the first time that Reese has spoken highly of her WNBA rival either, previously telling Women’s Health that the two are “cool” after their games. She explained: “I love that we’re able to compete and still be cool after, regardless of the outside noise.

“When we get between the lines and we’re ready to compete, we just want to win. That’s just the group of women—we always want to win, and we’re strong and super powerful in everything that we do.”

Reese and Clark had a small taste of what playing together would be like in July this year, both competing in the WNBA All-Star game against the United States women’s national team alongside well-established names like Diana Taurasi, DeWanna Bonner, and Breanna Stewart.

The All-Star team ultimately won the game 117-109 thanks to a clinic from MVP Arike Ogunbowale, after her record-setting 34-point scoring performance. It capped off an incredible first season in the WNBA for Clark, who managed to help Indiana Fever to their first play-offs since 2016 while breaking an abundance of records on the way.

The Iowa native served up the highest amount of assists in a single season (337), while netting a league-best of 122 three-pointers and also becoming the fastest female to ever breach the 100 three-pointer mark. The prodigy recorded two triple doubles, while also recording the most points from her position as a point guard in a single season.

Thanks to her remarkable efforts, Clark scooped 66 of the 67 total votes to clinch the prestigious Rookie of the Year award, the other vote going in favour of Reese for her own accomplishments in the 2024 season.