What does the Indiana Fever look like without Caitlin Clark? Well, we got the answer to that in their very first pre-season Washington Mystics! The new-look Fever, lead by their new head coach Stephanie White, had the opportunity to prove their mettle without their star in the rotation. However, their combination didn’t quite sit right without the six-foot-tall point guard.

Caitlin Clark  was out because of a left leg injury, erring on the safer side for the pre-season. And even though fans were disappointed, it made sense. Without any pressure of playoff seedings or elimination, playing CC through a niggle just did not make sense in any way, shape, or form. But without her, the team struggled. The game went into overtime, and it was a narrow escape for the Indiana-based team.

Because of how close the game had gotten, WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes brought her own pondering and questions on the Women’s Hoops Show alongside show host Jordan. “Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull they’ve been in the league for a while. You’ve actually had players like Bree Hall. Why wasn’t she in that game?” Swoopes said.

The entire point of their off-season was to introduce championship experience into the relatively young core of Indiana Fever, and the draft supplemented the talent they already had. Ejim, Timpson, and Hall were the newest additions to White’s roster, but none of them saw any significant minutes.

Swoopes raised an important question to the Indiana Fever management, and Stephanie White in particular. “I was a little confused with what Steph was doing,” She said, pointing out how the pre-season games are meant more for the management than the players. “When I think about pre-season, it really isn’t so much for your players that you know are returning. The players that you know are going to make the team. But it’s more about ‘I’m not sure about this particular player’.”

However, even though there were a few warning signs, the Indiana Fever pulled through at the end. And they definitely didn’t let the momentum go either! The pre-season game against Brazil was always going to be a high-energy, high-stakes game, and with Caitlin Clark returning, there was a lot to look out for. But what new records did CC break in this pre-season clash? Let’s find out!

Caitlin Clark’s long awaited Iowa return leads to record-breaking statistics

There is no name bigger than Caitlin Clark in the Carver-Hawkeye Arena. With the legendary collegiate career that the Indiana Fever guard had, we can see why! Her jersey is up in the rafters, and fans were stoked to see her return to her alma mater for a pre-season game against Brazil.

And it was everything they wanted, and more! Clark showed how dominant she truly was, putting up 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in just 16 minutes of playing time. It was a perfect reunion for Iowa fans, and the 108-44 victory showed the rest of the world that the Indiana Fever is a force to be reckoned with!

What’s even more invigorating is the reaction CC’s comeback had from Iowa. The tickets for the game were sold out in 24 minutes, and the turn out? Incredible. Clark’s pre-season debut drew 1.3 million viewers, and was more watched than any NBA pre-season game since 2018! 

The stage is set for a huge sophomore year for Caitlin Clark, and we can’t wait to see what she ends up accomplishing! We saw flashes of greatness in her rookie year, and we’re sure that she’ll end up in the record books again for some feat or the other. Can the Indiana Fever achieve greatness with CC at the helm? Only time will tell.