The friendship between Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers has become one of the most notable in the WNBA’s new generation. Although they are rivals on the court, both stars have made it clear that off the court they share a close bond that continues to grow season after season.

In the lead-up to the matchup between the Atlanta Dream and the Dallas Wings, Reese spoke about how she navigates that competitive dynamic with Bueckers and highlighted the most exciting aspect of their friendship.

Reese spoke about the special bond she shares with Paige

The connection between the two goes back years. Reese and Bueckers were two of the top recruits of their generation and shared experiences on Team USA, as well as at various events and in marketing campaigns.

Over time, their on-court rivalry evolved into a relationship of mutual respect and camaraderie off the court. She expressed this in an interview with Champside (via Yardbarker) ahead of the matchup between the two teams on the second day of the WNBA season:

“It’s really exciting to see me and Paige Bueckers continue to grow and everybody else that was in our class continue to grow,” she began.

We’re obviously friends off the court, but between the court, we’re not friends. So we’ll talk a little trash tonight. But I’m just excited to see her journey through adversity and everything

Angel Reese

And her words came true: the game ended in a 72-77 victory for Atlanta, with Allisha Gray and Jordin Canada leading the way with 26 and 19 points, respectively.

Reese scored 12 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and dished out 2 assists in 34 minutes, while Paige scored 15 points, grabbed 2 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists in 32 minutes of action.

However, although they compete fiercely on the court, the rivalry stays there. Off the court, they’ve shared various moments that strengthen their friendship, such as the Met Gala they recently attended.

Reese was already familiar with the event, while it was Paige’s debut: “I knew she was going with Coach and just being able to see her step into another world of fashion… yeah, that’s my girl. I’m just really happy to see her step into different things,” Reese said.

Of course, the former LSU player knows the impact they’ve made in the league despite just starting their third and second years in the WNBA—a phenomenon that has been repeated with other stars like Caitlin Clark or newcomer Azzi Fudd. And this is something Reese is proud of:

“Obviously, we’re two marketable players as well on and off the court… A lot of young girls look up to both of us… So it’s really cool to see us continuing to be pioneers in this league,” she added.

Meanwhile, as the WNBA continues to promote new stars, the friendship between Reese and Bueckers stands out as one of the most compelling connections for fans: two players who compete fiercely when the buzzer sounds, but who maintain their mutual respect and admiration off the court.

Now, the Dreams are preparing to face the Las Vegas Aces at State Farm Arena on Sunday, May 17, at 1:30 PM ET, while Bueckers and the Wings will take on the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday, May 14, at 8:00 PM ET at the College Park Center.