Since the Team USA roster for the Paris Olympics was announced in June, there has been a lot of furor among fans regarding the snub of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The two, however, made it to the WNBA All-Star team, and on Sunday, they clashed with Team USA, trumping A’ja Wilson & Co. This once again amplified the murmurs that the WNBA rookies deserved to be on that Olympics roster. And apart from admirers, this time even Wilson noticed the incredible talent of the WNBA All-Star team and opined on what makes them special.

Wilson was present in the postgame press conference with Breanna Stewart and reflected on their unexpected loss. Further, Wilson shared her take on the performance of the WNBA All-Star team.

A’ja Wilson lauds Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark

The 27-year-old didn’t shy away from admitting that the Team WNBA handled the pressure well before enunciating how the rookies’ addition made it special.

“Yeah! I feel like they handled it (pressure) well just like a lot of rookies would. This is a big moment. This is All-Star break that means that you’re, you’re doing something good at the halfway mark. I think they just play their game, they were who they were, and that’s all you can ask for. But it was always… it’s always good when you have rookies in here to just get a taste of the All-Star Game and just have fun out there. It’s a, it’s a good fan experience. I’m glad the fans got to see them play on the same team. I know that’s a lot when they’re on their separate teams. So, I think they did pretty good,” Wilson stated, via the postgame press conference.

The game was highly anticipated since this was an opportunity for fans to see their favorite rookies (also, arch-rivals) Reese and Clark play for the same team. Being a part of the Team WNBA in an All-Star game stands as a testament to their highly skilled game, and they walked the talk by defeating Team USA by a 117-109 margin. As for their performances, Reese scored a double-double (12 points with 11 rebounds), while Clark contributed with 10 assists.

As for Wilson & Co., this was a good learning game days before their Paris Olympics campaign began. For the unversed, even during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Team USA had lost to the WNBA All-Star team, and they later went ahead to clinch gold at the Olympics. Maybe this contest gives them a chance to better their team tactics and go for their eighth consecutive Olympic gold. Stewart already looks to be on the road to improvement.

Breanna Stewart looks to improve Team USA’s performance

Stewart was quick to introspect after the game and shared her view on what went wrong. According to her, conceding a whopping 117 points to the WNBA All-Star team was “crazy.” She also opined that Team USA could have improved their defensive wall which would have helped in stopping the WNBA All-Star team.

Nonetheless, she chose to see the positive side and was happy that her team noticed their flaws and will start working towards improving them. Plus, going by the Tokyo Olympics example, it is not too late for Team USA to better their display.

Perhaps, this was the play that the spectators were waiting for as over 16,000 people attended the WNBA All-Star game, and with the exceptional gameplay from Reese and Clark, the matchup was nothing short of exciting. Meanwhile, Team USA can go back to their practice sessions, and better their chances for a gold at the upcoming Olympics.