Caitlin Clark has made it clear that she is not interested in fueling speculation regarding her personal relationship with fellow Team USA player Angel Reese. Following the United States' 97-79 victory over France on September 13, which secured a fifth consecutive gold medal at the FIBA World Cup, Clark was asked by a reporter whether she and Reese are now friends. In response, Clark shook her finger at the reporter and stated, "We've always been friends. Don't try to do that. Don't try to do that." She reportedly returned after her media session concluded to reiterate her message to the reporter as she exited the area.
The gold medal game saw Team USA overcome a 14-point deficit after trailing 20-17 in the first quarter, eventually outscoring France 80-59 for the remainder of the contest. Breanna Stewart led the team with 22 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds, earning tournament MVP honors. Other significant contributors included Jackie Young with 18 points, Kahleah Copper with 15, and both Chelsea Gray and Caitlin Clark adding 12 points each. A pivotal moment occurred just before halftime when Reese forced a turnover, allowing Clark to hit a 3-pointer that reduced the French lead to two points.
Reese, who was observed cheering for Clark from the sidelines, has previously spoken about their developing chemistry on the court. During a post-game session on September 10 after a 108-56 win over Hungary, Reese noted that their familiarity with each other's playing styles makes it easy to share the ball. "We've played against each other so many times. I'm sure we know each other's game like the back of each other's hand," Reese said. "So just easily dishing it off to her. She dishes off to me. She knows my spots. I kinda got one to her today, maybe two. So it's fun. We just continue to build chemistry because we know we're gonna be USA teammates for a while."
