Angel Reese Breaks Down ‘Exciting’ Aspect of Navigating Friendship With Paige Bueckers on and off the Court

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Angel Reese Breaks Down ‘Exciting’ Aspect of Navigating Friendship With Paige Bueckers on and off the Court

Originally posted on TheSheGotGame
By Sauramita Debbarma | Last updated May 13, 2026 3:20 PM ET

Despite playing for different WNBA teams, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese have continued to stay close, and their strong friendship still seems as solid as ever. The latter recently explained how they make things work despite the obstacles.

In an interview with Champside prior to the Atlanta Dream’s victory over the Dallas Wings, Angel Reese opened up about growing alongside Paige Bueckers since their early high school days nearly a decade ago.

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

Angel Reese on Paige Bueckers, their friendship and respect for each other as competitors and how they influence the youth #WINGSUP #DOITFORTHEDREAM pic.twitter.com/9Yb8es1Lf5
— Anastasia (@TheAnastasia25) May 12, 2026

Over the years, the two have also grown into two of the biggest stars in the WNBA. Reese acknowledged that impact as well.

“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.

Even though they compete hard against each other on the court, their friendship away from basketball remains strong. Just last week, Reese and Bueckers both attended the Met Gala in New York.

For Chi Barbie, the Met Gala was already familiar territory, while Paige Bueckers was experiencing it for the first time, something Reese was happy to see.

“A lot of people didn’t know she was going to the Met. 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.

And while Angel Reese joked before the game that there might be some trash talk between them, neither she nor Paige Bueckers appeared to exchange any before, during, or after the matchup.

Paige Bueckers Gives Honest Take on Angel Reese’s Impact

“On both ends of the floor, she’s a paint presence on both sides. Defensively, she can switch and guard one through five,” Paige Bueckers said about Angel Reese before the matchup.

She added, “Offensively, she’s a great screener, great roller, great passer, can finish around the rim, and provides a different spark for them. Her energy is contagious and brings confidence to her teammates.”

During the match, Reese kept things efficient and simple offensively and led her side to a 77-72 victory.

The former Chicago Sky star finished with 12 points after shooting 4-for-8 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. She also grabbed 16 rebounds, including 8 offensive boards, while adding 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in 34 minutes.

It was not a flawless performance, but it proved to be enough to earn her side the W.

On the other side, Bueckers scored 15 points on 5-for-12 shooting for the Dallas Wings, while Arike Ogunbowale led the team with 20 points.

Having said that, would you like to see Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers in the same colors on the court?

This article first appeared on TheSheGotGame and was syndicated with permission.

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