In the WNBA, it’s not just about wins and losses. Rivalries, bold personalities, and those “circle the date” matchups? They matter just as much. And, unintentionally or not, Caitlin Clark is fueling that fire well. From her anticipated game against Angel Reese to her competitive sparks with Sabrina Ionescu in New York, the 2024 ROTY isn’t just hooping—she’s anchoring storylines. And now, she’s got a new name added to her list of on-court rivals. Call it round two. Call it a bold challenge. Here we are.
Right after being drafted eighth overall by the Connecticut Sun, Saniya Rivers didn’t wait for the media to create a storyline—she made one.
Only days after the draft, Rivers was asked which team she was looking forward to facing in her rookie season. Referencing a 2022 college showdown between Clark’s Iowa squad and her own then-NC State team, Rivers dropped a line that had everyone talking: “Let’s go with Indiana, why not? I would love the opportunity to match up with her again.” She was talking about the Indiana Fever, and yes, Clark. Even though Clark scored 45 that night, Rivers’ team walked away with the win—and she’s clearly not letting people forget that.
But the new update goes deeper than words. It’s what Rivers chose to wear that turned heads.
She’s keeping her No. 22 jersey—the same number she wore at NC State. But now, wearing it at the pro level for Connecticut, it carries a different weight. Caitlin Clark’s iconic No. 22 has become the symbol of her brand, her effect, and her game. That jersey number alone has almost taken on a life of its own. Remember when Unrivaled had a 22-minute-long Club Selection last November and everyone believed it had something to do with Clark? Yeah, that was one of many, and now, Rivers is wearing the same digits on her back.
Cory Smith, an insider who closely follows NC State, confirmed it. “Former NC State guard Saniya Rivers (@Ihoop___22) will continue to wear the No. 22 jersey with the Connecticut Sun at the WNBA level,” the tweet read. Still, that’s where the similarities end.
Former NC State guard Saniya Rivers (@Ihoop___22) will continue to wear the No. 22 jersey with the Connecticut Sun at the WNBA level. pic.twitter.com/x2TjF8tz1W
— Cory Smith (@RCorySmith) April 16, 2025
Clark is a high-octane offensive machine—long-range threes, flashy passes. Rivers? She’s the defensive stopper. A long, relentless guard who lives for the challenge of shutting someone down. One’s known for lighting up the scoreboard. The other’s aiming to keep it quiet.
But that number? That’s loud enough for both. Nowadays, 22 is synonymous with Caitlin Clark—the same way 23 was with Michael Jordan and 30 is with Steph Curry. It’s not just a number anymore; it’s a brand. And for Clark, it’s personal. The Indiana Fever rookie chose No. 22 simply because she was born on January 22, 2002. “Not very creative,” she once joked—but the meaning stuck.
Back in high school, Clark actually couldn’t wear 22 at all. Her school, Dowling Catholic, had a rule against even-numbered jerseys. So she had to slice her number in half and wear No. 11. Once she hit college, she finally reclaimed it—and what followed was legendary. She shattered records at Iowa wearing that jersey: all-time NCAA scoring leader, most three-pointers in a season, and the highest career scoring mark across men’s and women’s college basketball. It was with 22 on her back that she lit up the game—and in 2025, Iowa officially retired the number in her honor.
So yeah, the number means something. And now? Saniya Rivers is rocking that same 22. That’s the one big similarity between them. But we wouldn’t be tagging it a challenge. What we would, however, is the one she issued during the introductory press.
“I wanna be the player that maybe tries my best to shut down the best players every night … Caitlin’s gonna be Caitlin, but I’m not gonna get in my head … I would love to slow her down a little bit,” she had said post-draft. That’s a callout, plain and simple.
At 6-foot-1, Rivers enters the league as a defensive menace. A two-time All-ACC pick, two-time ACC All-Defensive Team selection, and Top 10 finalist for the Cheryl Miller and Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards. The Connecticut Sun, known for their top-tier defense (No. 3 in the league last season), just added a spark.
One number. Two bold talents. And maybe the start of the W’s next story. Rivers may throw her tricks, but Stephanie White is ready too.
Stephanie White builds Caitlin Clark’s game; no longer focusing solely on offense
This offseason, the Fever made it clear they’re done just building buzz—they’re building a team. Clark and Aliyah Boston already form a high-upside duo, and Kelsey Mitchell gives them proven scoring. But the addition of veterans like Sophie Cunningham adds toughness and spacing, exactly the kind of help Clark needs. The roster finally has depth.
And the biggest shift? Stephanie White. The former WNBA Coach of the Year is back in Indiana with a clear mandate: turn potential into wins and she is getting Clark ready to face the defense and team strategies focused around her.
“From just a straight basketball perspective, making sure that we help her diversify her finishing ability—diversify in the way that that it’s not predictable,” the head coach revealed the plans for Caitlin’s game. The aim is to break away from the pattern. Not just offensively, but also in utilizing her throughout the court. “Utilize her as a screener, getting her into action on the third and fourth side instead of the first and second where it’s easy to game plan against. Now how we use her to help everybody else be better off the ball.”
White admits she is getting better too. So Fever is stacked, Clark is ready, and new challenges are what we all await.
The post Insider Confirms Connecticut’s Latest Addition Will Have 1 Similarity With Caitlin Clark After Fever Star Gets a Direct Warning appeared first on EssentiallySports.
