The WNBA is back on track.
The WNBA’s ratings took a hit — its games were down 55% while Caitlin Clark was sidelined with a quad injury. Put me in that “not watching” category, too. But that changed when I learned Clark would be playing last weekend. It was like getting a Vitamin C shot!
The WNBA star made her grand re-entrance by scoring 32 points on 11-of-20 shooting with seven 3s in the Fever’s 102-88 home victory over the defending-champ NY Liberty. And Clark did more than score: she dished out nine assists, grabbed eight rebounds, and made a steal in what turned out to be her third career game in which she averaged 30 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
What’s even more impressive is that she showed no rust after missing five games, and that determined look in pre-game warmups communicated what to expect when the whistle blew. And no matter what fans might have expected, you can’t tell me that anybody expected Clark to nail three straight 3s in 38 seconds soon after the game began–including one over Breanna Stewart. There was nothing Stewart could do but laugh in return.
Caitlin Clark is doing what players do: managing great plays seemingly out of nowhere. Moreover, they often do it against the best players and teams. NY was undefeated heading into this game, determined to show everybody this season that last year was no fluke. It’s just that the Liberty picked the wrong day to take on Clark and the Fever, despite Sabrina Ionescu playing like an MVP candidate by scoring a game-high 34 points in the team’s loss.
Fortunately for the Fever, Clark was up to the task, not only playing well herself but enabling teammates to be successful. Kelsey Mitchell was able to get her points, especially in the fourth quarter, when she made layup after layup. Aliyah Boston was a beneficiary of Clark’s passes. Sydney Colson did her thing as an offensive facilitator.
But let’s face it: Saturday’s game was all about Caitlin Clark. She is the League’s star, and people are mesmerized by her play. She elevates the league like no other player, and that is why fans are watching the WNBA. But no matter how good she is, she needed court partners to make the Fever great. So, credit the Fever’s ownership and management with using the off-season to fill out the roster with a strong supporting cast that includes Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner, and Sophie Cunningham, and signing Stephanie White as head coach. Those moves are paying dividends already.
I know that lots of people are picking the Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx to fight it out for the 2025 championship. Still, on Saturday, at least, Indiana showed it should be in the conversation, too.
All was right in the world with Clark coming back. Let the good times flow, and let’s see how far this team can go. We already know it will be loads of fun watching.
