Mic’d up Caitlin Clark says she’s ‘going to launch a bomb’ before half-court heave and A’ja Wilson makes major admission to Angel Reese in hilarious clips from WNBA All-Star weekend

At the risk of being unpopular, Caitlin Clark agreed to use a microphone for her All-Star debut this past weekend, resulting in some funny moments for the Indiana Fever rookie.

Veteran forward DeWanna Bonner of the Connecticut Sun laughed and stepped aside from Clark after the former Iowa star said, “I have a microphone on.”

Later, Clark, always eager to fire a shot from distance, told a teammate, “I’ll drop a bomb soon… before halftime.”

Moments later, Clark did just that, blasting a contested 3-pointer from near midcourt. Unfortunately, like all seven of her long-range attempts on Saturday, Clark’s half-court heave missed.

And Clark wasn’t the only player mic’d up during the WNBA All-Star’s 117-109 victory over Team USA. Olympian A’ja Wilson was also heard chatting with rookie All-Star Angel Reese during the game.

“I’ve got to guard Angel, oh, I’m not going to guard you,” Wilson laughed. “I don’t want to guard you!”

Team USA’s A’ja Wilson celebrates her three-pointer against Team WNBA

Reese and Clark both gave the American Olympic team a hard time on Saturday night. Soon, they could be the duos providing the highlights for the red, white and blue.

Clark finished with a team-high 10 assists while Reese added 12 points and 11 rebounds in the All-Star win. The U.S. used the game as preparation for the Paris Olympics, which begin next week.

“Hopefully, four years from now, we’ll be on the other side and we’ll be playing with the U.S.,” Reese said. “I’m just trying to embrace this moment right now, not think too far ahead. But I’m really proud.”

The Clark-Reese rivalry has arguably been the biggest story in women’s basketball in the past three years, boosting the sport’s popularity as the two college stars transitioned to the professional ranks. For the first time on the same team, they proved they could share the ball: Clark’s 10th assist of the night came on a nifty bounce pass to Reese in the fourth quarter.

Reese said Clark couldn’t help but make fun of him at that moment, when he was sitting on the bench.

“Do you know how many people are happy right now?” Reese told Clark.

Reese responded, “Man, I know. I’m gonna see that video everywhere.”

Reese said Saturday’s game gave her a glimpse into the future of the WNBA, and potentially Team USA.

“She’s easy to work off of, I’ve been playing against Caitlin for a long time, so you pick up on her tendencies,” Reese said. “I just said, ‘Let’s do a pick-and-roll.’ … She passes the ball really well, so you always have to have your hands ready.”

Clark and Reese — both just 22 years old — consistently played at a breakneck pace on offense, often catching the U.S. a step too slow. Clark pushed the ball up the court on nearly every possession, while Reese’s muscle and athleticism created a force the national team couldn’t always match.

Brittney Griner, left, Diana Taurasi and Chelsea Gray, of Team USA, walk onto the field

Clark’s excellent passing made up for a tough shooting night, as she made 2 of 9 shots from the field, including 0 of 7 3-pointers, to finish with four points.

“I just like to pass the basketball,” Clark said. “I like to push the pace, I like to make people run, and honestly sometimes it almost works better when the other team scores. They’re taking a breather, but I want to get the ball and go.”

The 6-foot-1 Reese made his presence felt in the latter part of the first quarter, grabbing an offensive rebound and a putback to give the WNBA All-Stars a 24-23 lead late in the first quarter.

“Is it a surprise?” Reese said. “I feel like I do this every night. The expectations are set and this is what’s expected of me.”

Less than a minute into the second period, it was Clark with two big moments in a row, beating pressure on the fast break before finding Aliyah Boston for a bucket. Clark was back at it on the next possession, firing up the court to Jonquel Jones for another close-range basket.

Clark broke the WNBA record earlier this week with 19 assists in a game

Clark broke the WNBA record earlier this week with 19 assists in a game.

Women’s basketball legend Cheryl Miller coached the WNBA All-Stars. She started Clark while Reese came off the bench, but both players finished the game based on their effectiveness on the court.

This year’s All-Star Game followed a similar format to three years ago, when Arike Ogunbowale scored 26 points to win the MVP award and lead the WNBA All-Stars to a 93-85 victory in the U.S. Ogunbowale was the star again on Saturday, scoring 34 points to win the MVP award again.

Clark said she was happy to help the U.S. prepare for Paris. Four years from now, Clark and Reese could be the ones preparing.

“It shows how good this league is,” Clark said. “It shows how much talent there is in this league and how you have to show up and prepare every night.”