“Multiple levels of effort. We were connected on both ends of the floor.” Indiana Fever head coach, Stephanie White, addressed the locker room after clinching an impressive 99-82 win against the Atlanta Dream. While Indiana Fever had a slow start, the roster ultimately outsmarted the second ranked team in the Eastern Conference standings. Praising the team for a massive “bounce-back” from one of the worst performances against the Golden State Valkyries, White is hopeful that the team continues to display a similar poise in the upcoming games.

Well, with Fever guard Caitlin Clark back in the active roster, the team has little to worry about. The reigning rookie was sidelined owing to a left groin injury, and missed out on the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup and the first face-off against the Dallas Wings. Her return marks the a historical moment for the WNBA. It is the first time when we’ll see Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark on the opposite ends of the hardwood.

The last time they faced each other was during the 2024 Final Four showdown between Iowa and UConn. But before the two athletes step on the Gainbridge Fieldhouse arena today, the Indiana Fever superstar has a special message surrounding the Dallas Wings’ rookie, Paige Bueckers. Yahoo Sports reporter, Andy Backstorm took to social media and provided an exciting update ahead of the Fever-Wings showdown.

He shared a clip featuring Caitlin Clark on X (former Twitter). “I feel like she has played in the same manner that she has since when we were on the [Team USA] u-16 team together, u-19 team together,” Caitlin Clark said. “Whether it’s me watching her in AAU, she has always just been smooth.”

“She takes what the game gives her, her middie is always as nice as it has been this year. She just plays way older than she is,” Clark said in a pre-game conference. “She’s confident, she’s smooth, she just does everything at a high level. She can score from all 3 levels. And that’s how she’s always played. That’s obviously translated really well. And everybody knew that it would.” Praising the rookie for her versatility and mid-range shots, Clark applauded Bueckers for her elite playmaking abilities.

From competing on same national squads to battling it out under different colleges, Clark and Bueckers have essentially grown up competing side by side. And this statement from Clark symbolises a deeper understanding that the two former college athletes shared. Belonging to the same class, Bueckers’ ACL tear halted her pros journey by a year. Having said that, Clark has observed Bueckers’ professional games with the Dallas Wings and continues to support the star for her high basketball IQ, maturity and ability to switch between on and off the ball.

“Her ability to just be smooth, and go with what the game’s gonna give her, she’s never gonna force anything. I think it has always been that, and she has just continued to stay true to that,” Clark added. This official message comes weeks after the Dallas Wings player stood in support of Clark. Known for her humble presence and strong on-court presence, Bueckers had appreciated Caitlin Clark for her enormous efforts in upholstering the league.

“The pressure that she’s put on every single night to perform at the level that she does, it’s inhumane, really, to expect people to be perfect and to not have off games or off nights,” Paige Bueckers had said about Caitlin Clark. This statement came before the Dallas Wings welcomed Clark-less Indiana Fever in game one this season. Bueckers further pointed at the W’s “unfair” tight-schedule that shifts focus from player’s well-being to concentrate on the viewership and revenue.

Needless to say, Bueckers is averaging 18.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists through 16 games, while Clark is averaging 16.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 8.6 assists so far. While Indiana Fever grabbed a spectacular 94-86 win in game one against the Wings, it will be exciting to watch who takes the win this time.

Caitlin Clark among one of the Great Players in the W

The Indiana Fever superstar, Caitlin Clark, returned to the hardwood with an unimpressive stint. After being sidelined for the second time this season owing to a left groin injury, the sophomore athlete appeared against the Golden State Valkyries on July 09, 2025. The point guard had an injury scare in the first quarter. She slipped and fell while protecting the ball from the Valkyries player, Tiffany Hayes. This further affected her performance as she added 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists to the roster.

However, the Indiana Fever turned the tables in next game against the Atlanta Dream and clinched a 99-82 win. Having said that, Clark showed massive gameplay improvement in her second game. She averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists against the power-packed Dream roster.

This very quality of Clark to adapt to the on-court scenario, has listed the her as one of the great players in the league. Ex-Los Angeles Sparks player, Chiney Ogwumike recently joined Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe on the latest podcast. “What I will say is great players adapt. And a lot of people started witnessing that last year with Caitlin Clark,” Ogwumike began. “People had so many narratives of the physicality with her, but she adapted and she had the best, the strongest second half of the season last year.”

Highlighting Clark’s setbacks from her earliest games in the pros last season, Ogwumike pointed out that fact that Clark adapted to the surroundings and overcame her issues with physicality and turnovers. She came out shining from the other end of the season. A prime example was her previous performance against the Atlanta Dream, where she did not let the physicality affect her overall gameplay. As a result, the reigning rookie landed with a whopping 9 assists in her belt.

Standing at an impressive 10-10 stat score, Caitlin Clark & Co. would need to maintain the winning streak if Indiana Fever wishes to crown the official title this year. And as Paige Bueckers & Co. faces the third standing team in the pros, can Dallas Wings under HC Chris Kocalnes outshine the Indiana Fever? Or will they land with another staggering loss up their sleeve? Only time will tell.