Angel Reese spoke about her time at a USA Basketball women’s national team training camp, praising teammates and sharing insights into what she learned from elite players ahead of the 2026 FIBA World Cup
Angel Reese highlights development through rivalry and absorbing knowledge from top-tier teammates(Image: Getty)
Team USA left no doubt about their intentions after Angel Reese openly celebrated her fellow athletes at the USA Basketball women’s national team training camp, strengthening a message of solidarity and fierce competition as the program prepares for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup.
Reese, among the WNBA’s most rapidly ascending talents who recently revealed her offseason strategy to boost her income, spoke honestly about her time training alongside some of basketball’s elite during the December camp in Durham, North Carolina.
Instead of viewing the chance as a personal milestone, the Chicago Sky forward highlighted development through rivalry and absorbing knowledge from top-tier teammates.
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“You want to be surrounded [by] and play with the best,” Reese said. “To be the best, you got to play with the best and you got to beat the best.”
Angel Reese praises Team USA stars at training camp(Image: Getty)
The two-time All-Star noted that the experience held deep significance, recognizing how uncommon such an opportunity was at this point in her professional journey, reports the Mirror US.
“So I’m just really thankful to be able to be here with the best. I’m not going to take this moment for granted. I’m so thankful because a lot of people don’t have this moment,” Reese said.
Reese also explained how much she learned from her fellow camp participants, spotlighting particular qualities she respected from seasoned and proven stars. “I try to take a lot of things from other people, from communications, even just ball handling,” she elaborated.
“Being able to see Chelsea [Gray] pass, being able to feel Kahleah [Copper]’s energy, being able to see Aliyah [Boston] post up and post deep, and being able to take those things and implement it within yourself.”
USA Basketball resonated with Reese’s sentiments, sharing a video clip of her comments on their social media platforms. The organization simply captioned the post: “Iron Sharpens Iron.”
The responsibility of refining the camp roster for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, slated for Sept. 4–13 in Berlin, falls on managing director Sue Bird and head coach Kara Lawson.
The United States will be gunning for an unprecedented fifth consecutive gold medal.
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Reese’s participation in the camp follows her record-breaking performances in recent WNBA seasons. In her rookie year in 2024, she shattered the league record by achieving double-doubles in 15 consecutive games, surpassing Candace Parker’s previous record.
She then led the league in rebounds per game in both 2024 (13.1) and 2025 (12.6), setting the highest rebounding averages in WNBA history.
The camp showcased a mix of seasoned pros and rising stars, including Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, and Aliyah Boston. These sessions provided a sneak peek into how the upcoming talent could integrate with the established leaders under the Team USA banner.
As Reese articulated, the objective to triumph goes beyond personal recognition. “I think it just goes to show the growth of the game and how we can just compete in the WNBA, but then come back here, USA, and just be together and be here for one goal, and that’s the championship and to win gold.”
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