Caitlin Clark’s WNBA career has officially begun.
We didn’t get off to the best start.
Clark struggled early in Tuesday night’s regular season opener against the Indiana Fever and appeared to take some time to adjust. He continued to score a team-high 20 points after a second-half comeback, but committed 10 turnovers in the Fever’s season opener, a 92-71 loss to the Connecticut Sun.
The 10 turnovers were the most by a WNBA debutant in league history.
After a dominant performance at Iowa, Clark led perhaps the best draft class the WNBA has had in over a decade. Tuesday’s game at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., was sold out, making it the first full house in the state of Connecticut for a home opener since 2003. The game was added to Disney+ as a streaming option for fans watching from home.
Many celebrities attended the game, including UW head coach Geno Auriemma and several players from the New England Patriots. Clark gambled a ridiculous amount of money to win his MVP this season, which historically seems difficult.
“I feel like a little kid. I’m really excited more than anything,” Clark said before the game. From ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. “You only get one first game in the WNBA, so you better make the most of it.”
Caitlin Clark struggles in the first half
Clark’s first WNBA points came just before the midway point of the second quarter. On the fast break, Clark hesitated at the 3-point line, passed Sunstar’s DeWanna Bonner and headed to the rim for a layup.
Clark struggled to start the match. She started the night by going 0-for-4 from the field, missing a layup and picking up two quick fouls after making a great pass to Aliyah Boston in the first quarter. . As a result, she ended up on the bench for an extended period of time in the first quarter.
After making two free throws late in the second quarter, Clark made a 3-pointer. With about 30 seconds left, she hit DeJonai Carrington with a bucket from the wing, briefly cutting the Sun’s lead to single digits.
Clark made 2 of 7 field goals in the first half and 1 of 4 from behind the arc. Carrington led the Sun with 14 points, giving them a 10-point lead at halftime. Clark left the court with Boston, unhappy with how the first half had gone, and the two continued to talk in the tunnel back to the locker room.
Sun evades Clark and Fever seizes the victory.
Clark’s second half was much better than the first, but it was too slow for the Fever. She hit a 3-pointer with no problems early in the third quarter and finally looked like herself on the court. But every time the Fever slipped into the red, the Sun waited for an answer. They entered the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead and quickly expanded that lead to double digits.
The Sun started the fourth quarter close, 13-5, and held on for a 21-point victory. Clark took a bit of a lead in the fourth quarter, scoring eight straight points, but the result remained the same.
Alyssa Thomas led the Sun with her ninth career triple-double. She had 13 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds in the win. Bonner made 8 of 14 from the field and added 20 points and six rebounds. Carrington briefly left the game in the second half with an apparent leg injury, but still scored 16 points. Tyasha Harris also finished with 16 points.
Clark led the Fever with 20 points with three assists. She went 5-of-15 from the field and 4-of-11 from behind the arc. Narissa Smith had 13 points and nine rebounds. They were the only two Fever players to lose by double digits. The Fever committed 25 turnovers as a team.
Clark and the Fever will be back in action Thursday night when they host the New York Liberty. If it’s anything like the only preseason game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Clark and the Fever will have a chance to get their first win of the season in front of a sold-out crowd.
