Watch: Fever teammates douse Caitlin Clark in jubilant locker room celebration after creating history.
Fever teammates douse Caitlin Clark in jubilant locker room celebration after creating history
Every second matters in a basketball game and Caitlin Clark made sure to make the most out of them on Saturday against the New York Liberty. The Indiana Fever got an 83-78 win at home to snap New York’s five-game win streak. And to top it off, Clark registered her first triple-double in the WNBA.
While registering this feat is still a challenge across all levels of basketball, it isn’t as uncommon anymore because of players such as Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook and Luka Doncic. However, Caitlin Clark’s triple-double from Saturday will stand the test of time, as she became the first WNBA rookie to achieve the feat. It was also the first in the Indiana Fever colors.
While there might indeed come a day when another rookie achieves the feat faster than Clark’s 22 games, their achievement will likely be ranked behind the Fever guard’s. Her Indiana teammates made sure that the after moments were as memorable as they poured cold water on Clark.
Here’s a video shared by the Indiana Fever on X/Twitter:
Caitlin Clark’s triple-double consisted of 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds. Pouring water on a player is symbolic of trying to cool them down after a hot shooting game. Clark, however, wasn’t as efficient as she would have liked as she made only seven of her 17 attempts. She did have the hot hands as she dished out 13 valuable assists, so, the drenching did make sense after all.
The game marked a significant win for the Fever as it came in their fourth and final game of the regular season against the Liberty. Indiana had lost the previous three, two of which were blowouts. So, getting a win Saturday could do wonders for its season moving forward.
How has Caitlin Clark fared for Indiana Fever so far?
When Caitlin Clark was drafted into the WNBA, she arguably became the most hyped prospect the league had ever seen. She also became the most famous player, as fans continue to crowd arenas to see her play.
Managing expectations is key in such situations, and with the resources that she has around her, one could claim that she has passed the rookie test with flying colors so far. She averages 16.1 points, 7.4 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game and has led the Fever to a 9-13 record.
It isn’t a remarkable record by any margin, but for a team that went 13-27 last season, this is clearly a step in the right direction. Caitlin Clark is also the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award ahead of the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese.
