On Saturday, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark made her much-anticipated return to the court for a showdown against the Dallas Wings after missing most of last season with an injury. Before she stepped on the court, some of the game’s star players offered some high praise for her.
Saturday’s game featured several high-profile players, including the last three No. 1 overall picks – Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark for the Fever, and Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd for the Wings – as well as 2018 No. 2 overall pick Kelsey Mitchell for the Fever.
Ahead of the game, Clark received some high praise from two of those players – one teammate and one opponent.
In a promo video for USA Network ahead of Saturday’s showdown, Bueckers and Mitchell each spoke highly of Clark and the impact that she has whenever she is on the court, with Bueckers praising her prolific shooting ability and Mitchell highlighting her star power.
“When she sees one go through, it’s like the basket becomes an ocean,” Bueckers said in the video.
“CC’s powerful,” Mitchell said. “She has the world in a chokehold.”
The game might not have gone the way that Clark and the Fever would have hoped as they fell by a score of 107 to 104, but it’s safe to say that Clark made her presence felt, scoring 20 points with seven assists and five rebounds.
Clark took the league by storm in her rookie season, setting numerous WNBA records and earning the league’s Rookie of the Year award in a landslide, in addition to an All-Star nod. Last season did not go quite as well for Clark as her stats dipped considerably, even when she was healthy.
Now, fully healthy from last season’s injury, Clark will be looking to bounce back this season and try to match the potential she showed as a rookie.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.