Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers brought their on-court rivalry off the court while representing Team USA. The WNBA stars are known for their competitive battles, but their dynamic also comes with plenty of banter. In newly shared clips, Reese and Bueckers put that chemistry on display during a playful quiz.
Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers Trade Playful Jabs Behind the Scenes
Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers brought their competitive chemistry off the court while representing Team USA at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. The two WNBA stars took part in a lighthearted quiz that gave them an opportunity to poke fun at each other and revisit their on-court battles.
In a video originally shared by FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup on X and later uploaded by Legion Hoops, Reese and Bueckers were asked who was most likely to talk trash. The caption reads,” Angel Reese: “What did the ref say? The refs said foul.” Paige Bueckers: “Cause you got a special whistle.”
Both pointed to Reese, with Reese quickly adding, “Paige talks trash, though.” Bueckers then joked that her trash talk was only “self-defense” before bringing up a WNBA matchup between the two. “Like that one time you tried to post me up, and I stood my ground,” Bueckers said. “I said, ‘I’m right here.’”
Angel Reese: “What did the ref say? The refs said foul.”
Paige Bueckers: “Cause you got a special whistle.” 💀
(via @FIBAWWC) pic.twitter.com/8RyycgX4Qh
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 2, 2026
Reese immediately recalled what happened next. “Wait, what did the ref say?” she asked. “The ref said foul,” Reese answered herself, setting up Bueckers’ punchline: “Cause you got a special whistle.”
This led to a light-hearted response from Reese at the conclusion of the interaction. This clip was posted by Legion Hoops; however, the original video was uploaded by FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup on X on September 2.
FIBA’s second video similarly captures their chemistry off the court, as their teammates participate in the same entertaining superlatives-type content. Their banter is a manifestation of the competitive spirit they have built over time, although Bueckers has insisted that the rivalry stems from their mutual respect.
In a separate interview, she said that talking trash and competing against each other is “all in the means of respect” and described their relationship as being driven by a shared desire to win.
Now that Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers have become teammates for the U.S. team, they will prepare for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin. The United States team will begin its tournament by opening against China, and then Italy, followed by the Czech Republic.
