ARLINGTON, Texas — In front of a crowd of 6,251 at UT Arlington’s College Park Center, 2024 No. 1 pick Kaitlin Clark made her WNBA preseason debut on Friday evening, scoring 21 points in a 79-76 loss to the Indiana Fever. Dallas Wings.
The NCAA’s all-time leading scorer scored 11 of Indiana’s first 19 points before finishing with 16 in the first half, highlighted by a step-back 3-pointer against veteran Natasha Howard. Clark was held scoreless in the third quarter and sat on the bench for most of the frame after picking up her third and fourth consecutive fouls.
Upon reentering the game in the fourth, Clark hit another 3-pointer, her fifth of the night, and found Aliyah Boston for an assist on a pick-and-roll. With the game tied and less than 30 seconds remaining, the “Welcome to the WNBA” moment came when Howard blocked Clark’s layup attempt with the shot clock dwindling.
Clark’s 21 points (6 of 15 shooting, 5 of 13 from 3) tied the game with Dallas rookie Jaelyn Brown, and she also had 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 5 turnovers. Nalisa Smith added 20 points for the Fever.
“My biggest goal coming into tonight was just to be myself and play aggressive,” Clark said. “I thought that’s what I did. I think there’s a lot to be proud of.”
Newcomers may have come out to catch a glimpse of Clark, but Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale made sure the hometown team stayed on top, scoring Dallas’ final seven points and hitting the game-winning, step-back 3-pointer with 3.0 seconds to play. Drowned with. , Clark’s missed final shot at the buzzer in an attempt to tie the game.
It was a huge day for sports in the Metroplex. In downtown Dallas, the NBA’s Mavericks hosted a Game 6 first-round series win against the LA Clippers, while the NHL’s Stars were in Las Vegas in their first-round Game 6 battle, which they dropped. Nevertheless, scores of fans began flocking to Arlington with signs for Clark or wearing No. 22.
Despite being from the visiting team, Clark received a tremendous cheer when he was introduced as part of the Fever’s starting five, as did fellow former No. 1 pick Boston. The crowd, while mostly pro-wings, cheered heavily for Clark, especially when he hit four of his eight 3-point attempts in the first half, but the teams remained engaged as the teams led seven times and saw nine ties. .
“You really couldn’t ask for a better game than this to kick off women’s basketball this (WNBA) year,” Clark said. “We have a tremendous game coming up, both teams are competing. That’s going to be the story all year.”
Twenty-five miles away from the spot where Clark rose to fame with a mesmerizing Final Four run with the Hawkeyes in the spring of 2023, the rookie sensation hit his first two shot attempts as a professional, both 3-pointers — on the baseline. The first out-of-bounds play where Clark’s defender lost it, and Wings fans are still on their feet waiting for the hometown team to get on the board.
“I was able to get a pretty clean look for my first shot,” she said. “It’s always nice to see your first shot go in when you’re the shooter.”
Before the game, Clark said that her main goal for this early WNBA action was to stay true to herself; Afterwards, she said she thought she did so mostly by being aggressive and playing hard, while acknowledging that she could clean up on turnovers and would adjust to the physicality of the WNBA. Fever coach Christy Sides said Clark looked “gassed” and called for a sub at the end of the first quarter.
It will also be a learning process, both Clark and Sides said, as Clark becomes accustomed to playing with and against such high-level talent. The point guard reflected after the game that she doesn’t have to create everything herself and can instead use screens from her teammates or set up some herself to make life easier.
“She works really hard to get some shots that she doesn’t have to work as hard for anymore,” Sides said.
Meanwhile, Wings coach Latricia Trammell credited Clark’s quiet second half to her team’s increased defensive communication and intensity after a “passive” start.
Those tuning in for Clarke also enjoyed memorable performances from Brown and Ogunbowale (19), who paced the wings.
“I had a very bad shooting day (9 of 24, 1 of 7), but that’s why it’s a team, so it’s not golf,” Ogunbowale said. “Guys like Jaelin, the rest of the team, they put it together, and I was able to come in and hit that 3 at the end, which was really the only 3 I hit of the game. But that’s basketball. You just have to make it.” Gotta move and keep shooting.”
The Fever are hoping that Clark and the rest of their young core, including Boston and Smith, the 2022 No. 2 pick, will lead the franchise to its first postseason berth since 2016, surpassing WNBA great Tamika Catchings before her retirement. Was the final season. ,
Indiana is scheduled to play its final game against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday in Indianapolis before taking on the Connecticut Sun in its regular season opener on May 14.
“There’s a lot of good things to take from this. Also, it’s a preseason game, so don’t get too discouraged,” Clark said. “Just go back and watch the film, learn from it and get ready for our next film.”
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
