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Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have spent years being placed on opposite sides of one of basketball’s biggest debates. Team USA has provided a very different picture. Cameras captured Clark and Reese laughing together on the bench during the United States’ 108-56 victory over Hungary in Thursday’s FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup quarterfinal. The lighthearted exchange quickly circulated across social media, with one video describing the scene as “world peace.” The moment may have surprised fans accustomed to seeing Clark and Reese competing against each other, but their growing connection has been apparent throughout the World Cup. Reese made her feelings clear after Team USA advanced to the semifinals. “We’ve played against each other so many times, so I’m sure we know each other’s game like the back of each other’s hand,” Reese told TNT Sports. The Atlanta Dream star then offered an intriguing prediction about their future together. “We just continue to build chemistry because we know we’re going to be USA teammates for a while,” Reese said. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese deliver against Hungary The viral bench interaction was fun, but the connection between Clark and Reese produced real results on the court. Angel Reese on her chemistry with Caitlin Clark: — Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) September 10, 2026 "I'm sure we know each other's game like the back of each other's hand ... So it's fun. We just continue to build chemistry because we know we're going to be USA teammates for a while."pic.twitter.com/r5Go2pQWew Clark repeatedly found Reese around the basket during the first half. At one point, Clark assisted Reese three times in approximately five minutes as the United States turned the quarterfinal into a runaway. Reese returned the favor during the second half. She forced a turnover and found Clark for a transition basket. Their best connection may have come just before the end of the third quarter. Clark waited for the defense to shift before delivering a perfectly timed pass to Reese, who finished at the basket before the buzzer. Clark ended the game with 10 points, nine assists and three rebounds. Her nine assists were the most by any player in the game. Reese contributed nine points, six rebounds and three assists off the bench. Napheesa Collier led the Americans with 19 points, but the production from Clark and Reese helped Team USA overwhelm Hungary with its depth. Five American players scored in double figures. The United States shot 59% from the field, made 12 of 23 shots from beyond the arc and finished with 31 assists. Clark and Reese continue to reject rivalry narrative Clark and Reese have been connected since LSU defeated Iowa in the 2023 national championship game. Their college careers, WNBA draft positions and contrasting styles made comparisons inevitable. Clark became the No. 1 overall pick of the Indiana Fever in 2024, while Reese entered the league as the seventh selection. Clark eventually won WNBA Rookie of the Year, but Reese established herself as one of the league’s most productive rebounders. Every meeting between them generated attention, even as both players repeatedly explained that their competitive history did not amount to a personal feud. The World Cup has allowed fans to see that relationship from a new perspective. “No matter what, there’s always going to be people that create those narratives and say whatever they want to say,” Clark said earlier in the tournament. “I think for ourselves, it’s easy for us to just come in here and compete.” Clark also praised Reese’s competitiveness and motor, identifying those qualities as things she admires about her Team USA teammate. Reese similarly said the two young stars can lean on each other as they experience their first major event with the senior national team. They previously played together during the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game, but the World Cup has given them considerably more time to practice, travel and compete toward a shared goal. MORE: Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham makes waves with bikini boat day during WNBA break Clark and Reese could meet again in WNBA playoffs Team USA will play the winner of Spain and Australia in Saturday’s semifinal. The Americans need two more victories to secure their fifth consecutive World Cup championship. Clark and Reese are expected to remain important members of the rotation even if coach Kara Lawson continues bringing both off the bench. Once the tournament ends, they will return to competing against each other. Clark’s Fever and Reese’s Dream both entered the World Cup break with 26-14 records. If the current playoff seeds hold, Indiana and Atlanta could meet in the opening round of the WNBA postseason. That potential matchup would immediately restore the competitive tension surrounding Clark and Reese. For now, however, they are teammates, playmaking partners and apparently comfortable enough to share a laugh on the bench. Their history as opponents helped them learn each other’s games. Their time with Team USA is showing how dangerous they can be on the same side. More WNBA news: - Why the Mercury are buying out DeWanna Bonner's contract - Enes Freedom ejected after confrontation with Natasha Cloud during Fever-Sky showdown - Aliyah Boston delivers perfect reaction to Caitlin Clark’s career night