Caitlin Clark makes her home debut in the WNBA, scoring 9 points for the Indiana Fever in a tough loss against the New York Liberty.
Caitlin Clark, the much-anticipated No. 1 draft pick, faced a tough initiation in her WNBA home debut for the Indiana Fever, scoring nine points as her team fell 102-66 to the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. A sellout crowd of 17,274 packed the arena to witness Clark’s first home game, but the Liberty, one of the league’s superteams, proved too formidable.
Despite her stellar college career at Iowa, where she became the all-time Division I scoring leader, Clark found the transition to professional play challenging. She shot 2-of-8 from the field and 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. However, she contributed in other areas, recording seven rebounds and six assists.
The Fever’s coach, Christie Sides, acknowledged the team’s need to develop resilience. “We’ve got to get to a level of toughness,” Sides said. “When things are going south on us, we’re not stopping the bleeding.” The loss highlighted the growing pains of a young team adjusting to the league’s pace and physicality.
Clark echoed this sentiment, noting the increased physicality and speed of the game. “The game seems a little fast for me right now,” she admitted. “The more I play and the more comfortable I get, it’s going to slow down a little bit. It will be easier for me to make reads, see things.” Her performance on Thursday marked the first time since January 2021 that she was held to single digits, a stark reminder of the elevated competition in the WNBA.
Breanna Stewart, the reigning MVP, led the Liberty with a commanding performance, scoring 31 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Stewart’s dominance highlighted the gap between the Fever and the league’s elite teams. “We knew this atmosphere was going to be wild and … we have that experience,” Stewart said postgame, acknowledging their strategy to contain Clark.
The Fever’s Aliyah Boston led her team with 12 points and seven rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to counteract the Liberty’s balanced attack. Sabrina Ionescu added 14 points and seven rebounds for New York, further showcasing their depth.
Clark’s early struggles are part of the learning curve as she adapts to the professional level. “When you’re in this league, there’s 12 teams—everybody’s good across the board,” Clark said. The Fever will have another shot at the Liberty in New York on Saturday, offering Clark and her teammates a chance to bounce back and continue their development.
Despite the loss, the enthusiasm and support from the Indiana fans were evident, and Clark’s journey in the WNBA is just beginning.
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