- Caitlin Clark made her WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever, facing the Connecticut Sun.
- Clark shot 5-for-15 from the field, 4-for-11 from beyond the arc, and was perfect from the free-throw line, going 6-for-6.
- The game saw Indiana committing 25 turnovers, with Clark accounting for a game-high 10.
Newsypeople- Caitlin Clark, the projected No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, made her professional debut with the Indiana Fever against the Connecticut Sun, marking a historic moment in women’s basketball. Though very much the debut everyone had looked forward to, it did not exactly go as smoothly as one had hoped for Clark, as the Fever were easily defeated 92-71 by the Sun. Still, this loss had no bearing on expectations for Clark and the Fever.
On her part, Clark’s performance was all over the place—tantalizing and promising, yet rife with rookie mistakes. She finished with 20 points, which showed she could score but committed an unbelievable 10 turnovers, a new WNBA record for turnovers in a debut game that used to belong to Cynthia Cooper-Dyke. It was precisely this propensity for turnovers that sealed Indiana’s fate, as Connecticut scored 29 points from the Fever’s mistakes.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Clark’s debut attracted considerable attention and enthusiasm. The game was a sellout, with fans clamoring to catch a glimpse of what the former Iowa star could do in the professional level. In fact, three WNBA teams had to move their games to larger venues because of the crowds. Ticket sales skyrocketed, while sales of her jersey also jumped due to her popularity and the anticipation of her adding to the league.
CAITLIN CLARK'S WNBA DEBUT 👀
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 15, 2024
20 PTS
3 AST
10 TO
5-15 FG
4-11 3PT
Fever fall short 92-71 to Sun pic.twitter.com/Ui9o9ceZxf
Clark herself remained optimistic and focused on learning from the experience. She acknowledged that it would take some time to get used to the professional level and said she was confident she could do better. The way she reacted to the loss showed a maturity and determination to learn and grow more than to win at all costs.
Caitlin Clark was not the reason the Fever lost to the Sun, but rather the team committed 25 turnovers as a unit to 15 by the Sun. This was indicative of a collective problem with ball handling and decision-making that will need to be addressed across the roster.
It means Clark will have a much better opportunity with the Fever’s home-opening match against the New York Liberty to prove herself and let her skills shine through in a much better light. In fact, this next game should be one very important test for Clark and for the Fever in general, since this will allow the team to know how they are going to survive the rigors of the WNBA season.
