Caitlin Clark made up for a slow start against Cameron Brink and the Los Angeles Sparks to seal her first WNBA victory on Friday night.
The No. 1 draft pick and Indiana struggled through their first five games and headed to Star City after an 85-83 loss to the Seattle Storm on Wednesday.
However, they did not let their advantage slip and took the 78-73 victory over Los Angeles in a house of 19,103 spectators.
Clark only scored five points before turning to his arsenal of long-range shots to put the nail in the coffin in the final minutes. With 2:27 left in the game, Clark hit a 33-foot pull-up to give Indiana a six-point cushion.
About a minute later, Brink responded with a 3-pointer from 26 feet. But when the Sparks cut the deficit to two, Clark scored another three to put the Fever in speed control.
Caitlin Clark scored two decisive three-pointers and the Indiana Fever achieved their first victory.
After losing their first five games, the Fever cruised to a 78-73 victory over Cameron Brink and LA.
Clark recorded a double-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
Meanwhile, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell each scored 17 points while Temi Fagbenle came off the bench to lead Indiana in scoring with 18.
Brink, the second overall pick behind Clark, posted a game-high 15 points and nine rebounds in her first WNBA game.
Dearica Hamby’s double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds kept the Sparks at bay until the final buzzer cemented the defeat. Rickea Jackson’s 21-minute shift off the bench resulted in 16 points.
With Clark Fever coming to Hollywood, stars gathered at Crypto.com Arena to witness the WNBA’s newest attraction earn its first victory. After the game, Clark posed with USWNT stars Tobin Heath and Christen Press.
Clark hit two clutch 3-pointers to finish with 11 points and 11 rebounds in the win.
Aliyah Boston led Indiana with 17 points and six rebounds in 29 minutes of play
Celebrities gathered at Crypto.com Arena with 19,103 spectators to watch Clark play
The former University of Iowa star also met up with actor Ashton Kutcher after the game.
The That 70’s Show star is also a native of the Hawkeye State and attended Clark’s alma mater in 1997 before being discovered by a local talent scout and beginning her career in entertainment.
Other stars in attendance included Jason Sudeikis, Rosie O’Donnell, Kathy Griffin, DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls, Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors and USC star JuJu Watkins along with teammate Rayah Marshall and coach Lindsay Gottlieb.
Before Friday’s Fever-Sparks game, Clark’s former college rival Angel Reese appeared to criticize the former Iowa star on X following his Chicago Sky’s win over the New York Liberty in Brooklyn on Thursday.
‘And that’s about making a WIN in a crowded area, not just because of one player on our charter flight. #SKYTOWN,” he wrote, with a kiss emoji at the end.
Clark is credited with increasing interest in the WNBA after being picked first by Indiana in April’s draft, the same event in which Reese was chosen by Chicago.
The two were also great rivals in college, with Reese playing at LSU while Clark was at Iowa.
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese lightly criticized Clark after beating the New York Liberty.
Reese has since deleted the tweet after playing in front of a packed Barclays Center.
Clark and Reese shared a heated rivalry while playing for Iowa and LSU, respectively.
Reese and the Sky did not have charters at the beginning of the season, but Clark and Indiana did and lost their first five games.
Speaking Thursday, Reese criticized suggestions that women’s basketball was emerging only from Clark.
“It’s not just one person, I think people don’t realize that (because) the narrative that exists is that just one person changes the game,” he said.
‘There are many of us. There are so many great players and it’s been needed for a long time and just being able to see our impact has been able to change the game.
However, Clark admitted in the postgame press conference that he is prioritizing his mental health amid all the attention, which includes avoiding social media.
Reese was selected by Sky with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
“I think for me it’s definitely been a whirlwind over the last few months,” Clark said. “Honestly, I think I talk to the media more than I can talk to my own family – I’m very serious about that – which is actually a bit sad in a way. It’s a lot for someone who is 22 years old.
‘Sometimes it can be difficult. Our team is really young. It’s difficult to navigate this. I love it and wouldn’t change it for the world, but I think just getting off social media has been the healthiest thing. This is my job. This is what I love to do. I never want to lose the fun of the game. Nights like this remind me why I love playing basketball and why I started playing basketball.’
‘You get a win, and then you walk off the court and there are so many little kids screaming your name. I think it’s the little things that remind me every day why I do this and why I love it. Mental health is very important. It’s important for professional athletes, it’s important for student-athletes, it’s important for every person in this world to feel like they have someone to talk to. “I think it’s something we’ve all been trying to overcome.”
Clark and Reese will meet as professionals for the first time when Sky and Fever meet on June 1.
Until then, Indiana will face the defending champion Las Vegas Aces on Saturday night as they continue their trip to the West Coast.
