You might have heard about Newton’s third law at least once in your life. It says, “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” And that’s exactly what explains Caitlin Clark’s situation in the W the best. When the 2024 overall pick first entered the league, she brought 94% attendance back to arenas. She’s helped the league grow to unprecedented levels, especially in Indy, where the Fever averaged about 17,000 fans per game last year, enough to even outperform their NBA counterpart, the Pacers. So yes, all this was a reaction to the moves CC has made and continues to make across the league!

And of course, we are talking about the love she spreads across the league by signing all that memorabilia for the frenzy of fans who anticipate her arrival for hours. But it’s not just love for fans—it’s her way of giving back, since she’s been on that side once. “A lot of those people travel from really far to get here. To just have one experience with us in this gym, and that’s really cool. It puts it into perspective on how special these moments are,” Clark shared last year on August 18 in a press conference. Though her love has now taken a unique turn in her sophomore year!

Now, fans don’t just come to cheer her on while she’s hitting those long-range shots or making no-look passes that seem unbelievable. They also come to the arenas to support her while she’s sidelined, giving her every reason to get 100% healthy and pay them back. And it’s not just one or two of those instances—literally every other game has similar fan moments with CC.

Even at the recent game versus the Minnesota Lynx two hours before tip-off, a frenzy of fans was spotted outside the Target Center waiting for the phenom. But that was just the beginning, as when she entered the court looking energetic as always in green, fans couldn’t help but cheer for her—and it was as loud as thunder. That’s why even CBS Sports commentators couldn’t help but take note, calling her a “wonderful ambassador for the league.”

Well, those five words sum up her impact both on and off the court, as the 23-year-old Iowa native isn’t just changing games with her scoring and vision. Yes, she’s injured, but you can’t ignore her 16.5 points per game across 13 outings—and a little selfish love for Indy, her second home.

While she was standing on the sidelines after taking part in some drills at shootaround with the squad, she approached young fans near the court who were there to catch a glimpse of MVPhee, who had just returned after missing seven games. But CC knew the Lynx were already on top, so it was Indy who needed the cheers. So, she tried to convince the fans to cheer for her injury-driven squad.

But can you blame her? This is for the same squad that hasn’t wavered when it comes to protecting her—even taking technicals. We saw it earlier in the season with Aliyah Boston when she stopped Reese from going at CC, and then again with Sophie Cunningham, who grabbed Jacy Sheldon by the neck after Sheldon picked up a tech for Clark.

That’s the kind of love you’ll spot between CC and her teammates. But it isn’t just about accumulating cheers as CC was even spotted firing back at refs during the game as she walked onto the court with both hands wide open, portraying dissatisfaction, and approached the officials until her teammates pulled her back.

Yeah, CC’s frustration is a common sight this season, but this time it seemed to be a repercussion of how important this game was for the Fever.

Will the Indiana Fever be able to make it to the playoffs?

Despite signing Briann January Peddy and Aerial Powers last Tuesday and Saturday, respectively, on seven-day hardship contracts—after three of their guards, Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, and Aari McDonald, suffered season-ending injuries—Indy was unable to secure a win against the Minnesota Lynx.

It all came as the Lynx went on an 11-0 run to close the second quarter and took a 52-45 lead into halftime. Then MVPhee hit a jumper and a three to give her squad a 12-point lead in the third quarter, and the Lynx effortlessly beat Indy 95-90 on August 24.

Well, this was a crucial game for Indy, who were predicted earlier this season to contend for a championship and are now fighting to make the playoffs. While they’re short on roster depth, they still have a silver lining in their offensive core—Caitlin Clark.

And yes, she’s on her way back, at least seems to be from her dynamic warmups alongside her teammates, and that could help Indy when it comes to postseason positioning. Right now, the team sits at 19-18, 11 games behind tying with the Golden State Valkyries, and slipping to No. 8 in the standings. So all that frustration seems real—just like when CC last took the court and was seen arguing with refs for the right calls!