There’s a lot of expectations and excitement surrounding the Indiana Fever’s season-opening visit to the Connecticut Sun (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
It, of course, will be Caitlin Clark’s official WNBA debut. She’s handling her media responsibilities like a pro, giving great answers and coming off as way more experienced at this than she should be. If you’re a fan of the other 11 WNBA teams, you might not be as willing to root for her, but even the biggest skeptics must admit that she’s handling the pressure exceptionally well.
On the court, Clark is already providing her teammates with opportunities to shine. During preseason media availability day, NaLyssa Smith said:
Everybody’s gonna have to be guarded and respected this year I think, and that’s gonna be the great part about us. Everybody can score, whether you’re at the one through the five, everybody can score the ball and it’s going to open up a little bit for me and [Aliyah Boston] because we have so many great shooters on the outside.
And if the two preseason games can be considered an indicator of things to come, Smith will be the biggest beneficiary of Caitlin Clark’s arrival to Indy. In the loss to the Wings and the win against the Dream, she led the team in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game, but more importantly, she played with great confidence. Just look at this:
Clark has always been praised for playing “the right way” and in Indiana, where basketball is queen, she’s surrounded by the perfect talent to do that. Now it’s up to the WNBA fans to uphold the initial interest in “The Caitlin Clark Effect” and show their support for women’s basketball in general. Asked about the sustainability of the visits on the Fever’s StubHub website, StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli said:
I think you’re going to see an initial peak and that’s typical around every type of draft or when new players come in. We also see it around when the schedule releases—StubHub page visits increase, then they get a little more gradual. Overall, if you’re comparing page visits this year over last year, it’s still significantly higher. And now that they had the preseason games and the season is starting, certainly we’re seeing a lot more interest.
And their first test will come against the Sun, who were eliminated by the Liberty in last year’s semifinals. While it might be argued that the Fever are the future of the WNBA, with their three top players sharing a total of three years of professional experience, DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas have been at this WNBA thing for 24 years combined. The Sun made the Finals in 2019 and 2022, and this year might be this roster’s last chance to return.
Both teams are expected to perform, but for very different reasons, so this clash of youth and experience should make for a great season opener.
Game information
Indiana Fever (0-0) vs. Connecticut Sun (0-0)
When: Tuesday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT
How to watch: ESPN2
Fever injury report: Kelsey Mitchell (doubtful; left ankle), Damiris Dantas (out; temporarily suspended contract)
Sun injury report: Moriah Jefferson (questionable; right ankle)