At the risk of being unpopular, Caitlin Clark agreed to wear a microphone for her All-Star debut over the weekend, resulting in a number of hilarious moments for the Indiana Fever rookie.
Veteran Connecticut Sun forward DeWanna Bonner laughed and sidestepped Clark after the former Iowa star revealed, “I have a microphone on.”
Later, Clark, always willing to take a long-range shot, told a teammate: “I’ll throw a bomb soon… before halftime.”
Moments later, Clark did just that by launching a contested 3-pointer from near half court. Unfortunately, like all seven of his attempts from distance on Saturday, Clark’s shot from half court went wide of the rim.
And Clark wasn’t the only player to wear a microphone during the WNBA stars’ 117-109 win over Team USA. Olympian A’ja Wilson was also heard talking to rookie All-Star Angel Reese during the game.
“I have to protect Angel, oh, I’m not going to protect you,” Wilson laughed. “I don’t want to protect you!”
Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles alongside WNBA forward Angel Reese in Phoenix
Team USA’s A’ja Wilson celebrates after scoring a three-point basket against the WNBA team
Reese and Clark made life difficult for the U.S. Olympic team on Saturday night. One day, this duo could be the ones to provide the highlights for the red, white and blue.
Clark finished with a team-high 10 assists, while Reese added 12 points and 11 rebounds in the All-Star team’s victory. The U.S. used the game as preparation for the Paris Olympics, which begin next week.
“Hopefully, four years from now we’ll be on the other side and we can play for the United States,” Reese said. “I’m just trying to take advantage of this moment, not think too far ahead. But I’m very proud.”
The Clark-Reese rivalry is arguably the biggest storyline in women’s basketball over the past three years, boosting the sport’s popularity as the two stars transitioned from college to the professional ranks. On the same team for the first time, they proved they could share the ball — Clark’s 10th assist of the night came on a slick bounce pass to Reese in the fourth quarter.
Reese said Clark couldn’t help but poke fun at the moment on the bench.
“Do you know how many people are happy right now?” Reese reported Clark saying.
Reese responded: “Man, I know. I’m going to see that video everywhere.”
Reese said she could see the future of the WNBA — and potentially Team USA — during Saturday’s game.
“She’s easy to work with, I’ve played against Caitlin for a long time, so you pick up on her tendencies,” Reese said. “I just said, ‘Let’s run a pick-and-roll.’ … She passes the ball really well, so you always have to have your hands ready.”
Clark and Reese, both just 22, continually played at a blistering pace on offense, surprising the U.S. several times. Clark pushed the ball up the court on nearly every possession, while Reese’s muscles and athleticism created a force the national team couldn’t always control.
Brittney Griner, left, Diana Taurasi and Chelsea Gray of Team USA enter the court.
Clark’s excellent passing made up for a rough shooting night. He shot 2-of-9 from the field, including 0-of-7 from 3-point range, to finish with four points.
“I love passing the ball,” Clark said. “I love setting the pace, I want people to run, and honestly, sometimes it works better when the other team scores. They take a breather, but I want to get the ball and keep going.”
The 6-foot-3 Reese made her presence felt late in the first quarter, crashing down hard for an offensive rebound and a rebound that gave the WNBA All-Stars a 24-23 lead at the end of the first quarter.
“Is it a surprise?” Reese said. “I feel like I do this every night. The expectations are set and this is what I’m expected to do.”
Less than a minute into the second half, Clark had two big moments in a row, beating the pressure on the fast break before finding Aliyah Boston for a basket. Clark was back at it on the next possession, driving down the court to Jonquel Jones for another close-range basket.
Clark broke the WNBA record with 19 assists in a game earlier in the week.
Clark broke the WNBA record with 19 assists in a game earlier in the week.
Women’s basketball legend Cheryl Miller coached the WNBA stars. She started Clark and Reese as a substitute, but both players closed out the game after being effective on the court.
This year’s All-Star Game had a similar format to three years ago, when Arike Ogunbowale scored 26 points to earn the MVP award and lead the WNBA All-Stars over the United States 93-85. Ogunbowale was the star again on Saturday, scoring 34 points to earn the MVP award again.
Clark said he was happy to help the United States prepare for Paris. In four years, Clark and Reese could be the ones leading the way.
“If anything, it shows how good this league is,” Clark said. “It shows how much talent there is in the league and how you have to show up and prepare every night.”