“She’s special.” Just when fans anticipated a strong injury return for Indiana Fever’s star athlete, Caitlin Clark not only made a powerful comeback but also exceeded expectations beyond belief. Even head coach Stephanie White could not stop but praise Clark for her “wow moments.” The 2024 ROTY’s glorious return highlighted the Indiana Fever’s resilience, cohesion, and grit as they clinched a historic 102-88 win against the No. 1 ranked team in the Eastern Conference Division —the New York Liberty.

Caitlin Clark’s performance helped alleviate lingering doubts surrounding the Fever’s roster conditions following the bittersweet exit of free agent Aari McDonald. And reminded everyone who she was. She picked the team from where the free agent left off, and increased Fever’s chances of qualifying in the playoffs.

Having said that, several players congratulated the athlete after yesterday’s stupendous performance. The recent celebrity who came in support of Clark was none other than veteran Courtney Williams. Sports journalist, Ken Swift, shared a short clip of the ex-Chicago Sky veteran, as she quips about Clark’s extraordinary performance against the reigning champions. Swift captioned the post as “Courtney Williams calling out the Caitlin Clark Haters..“

The 50-second uncensored clip featured players Courtney Williams and Natisha Heidman as they addressed CC’s haters using facts. The two are seated in the clip as Williams talks about Clark’s achievements. “There you go, last game was cooking but Caitlin was cooking bro,” William looked at Heidman and said. “Go look at her stat line, bro. Now you all going to say when I say Caitlin made them girl different. You all were going to think I was going to talk about (badmouthing Caitlin Clark).“

Williams praised Clark’s injury return and pointed at her revamped return this season. Amazed by her recent performance against Liberty, Williams did not hold back as she directed her attention to the haters. However, Heidman interrupted William to read the Indiana Fever guard’s stats during the Liberty game. She states “8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 32 points.” 

The former Iowa star averaged a whopping score of 25 points in the first half. That being said, Clark played for only 15 minutes of her playing time. She shot 9-of-13 from the field and 6-of-9 from 3-point range to achieve the score as the second quarter came to a close.

Moreover, the Minnesota player referred to a conversation involving DiJonai Carrington. She reminisced how other teams felt confident in winning when Clark was sidelined. “Actually, that’s when DiJonai was on here because I was like- “Who’s talking about the game?” Williams added. “And our HC like– what other team I have a chance because Caitlin ain’t playing? You know what I’m saying?” Despite being sidelined, Clark was a threat to other teams. 

Acknowledging the athlete’s dominance, the player hinted at how Clark’s injury became an opportunity for other teams to gain the upper hand in the ongoing games. But even this fact did not stop them from critiquing the athlete. “And everybody there started like (mimicking the haters), and I was like, “Bro, what are you all talking about? That girl made their team different.””

Williams emphasized how Clark has positively impacted the Fever’s locker room over the last season. Clark was instrumental in propelling Indiana Fever towards their first playoffs since 2016. She bolstered the Indiana Fever during her rookie season and broke several records to establish herself as the face of the franchise. 

Stephanie White hails praise for Caitlin Clark

“She’s got it, right? She’s got it,” Stephanie White started. “And being able to harness those moments when it’s really rolling, and being able to be patient in the moments where you’re trying to get it rolling, I think, is a growth process. So certainly those first few threes… and she managed the game impeccably from there on out.”

Despite returning after a left quad sprain, Caitlin Clark jumped off the bench and asserted her dominance against the reigning veterans. She managed a total of seven three-pointer shots and amazed the head coach and her team. Even her Liberty opponent, Breanna Stewart could not hold back as Clark made a successful fifth three-pointer and let out a chuckle on the “5th triple remark” by the live broadcasters.

“I don’t know how many threes she had in the first quarter. But yeah, that’s a wow moment,” White added. Mind you, Clark only played during 15 minutes in the first half. Creating an impact despite a time crunch is a huge feat coming from Clark. Having said that, the athlete took the reins right from where Aari McDonald left off, and was instrumental in pushing the team one inch closer to the 2025 playoffs.

As the third standing team on the Eastern Conference division, Indiana Fever has a balanced 5-5 win-loss statistic so far. Sitting with a secured spot, it will be crucial for the team to keep striving and winning if they wish to continue their storybook run this season. Rest assured, Clark back on the roster, White and Fever teammates have nothing to worry about.