The Indiana Fever entered the Chase Center in the hopes of winning three games in a row. On paper, it looked like a certain victory. The Valkyries were without several key players due to EuroBasket, Caitlin Clark was back from injury and in top form, and momentum was clearly on the Fever’s side. But then, everything that could go wrong–did. Clark had one of the worst shooting nights of her young career. To make matters worse, coach Stephanie White was also forced the miss the trip. It turned into a night to forget. But for Clark, it didn’t end there. As expected, social media erupted with criticism following her off-night. But amidst all the noise, a WNBA legend has come to her aid.
Since returning from injury, Caitlin Clark came out firing on all cylinders. She scored 52 points on 52.5% shooting in the first two games. One of those standout performances came against the Connecticut Sun, which effectively sealed the Fever’s spot in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final.
But her outing against the Golden State Valkyries? A shadow of her usual self. Clark couldn’t find her rhythm, shooting just 3-of-14 from the field and missing all seven of her three-point attempts. Her shooting wasn’t the only thing off last game–her ability to keep hold of the ball was questionable too. She committed a game-high 6 turnovers in the game. A performance to forget for the superstar.
But despite all of that, a two-time WNBA champion and three-time MVP, Lauren Jackson had nothing but praise for the Fever guard. “She is special. I am just so impressed with her and her tenacity on the court,” Jackson said. “But she’s so smart–like, she can distribute the ball so well, she has so much vision. And then, obviously, a deadly shooter.”
For those who might not know who Lauren Jackson is, just take it from Kobe Bryant himself. “Everyone I talk to has her in the top three of all time,” he once said. “And I mean everyone.” So when a Hall of Famer of Jackson’s stature praises Clark, you know it means something. Caitlin Clark is ‘that’ special.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) returned to Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City for a WNBA preseason game against the Brazil national team on May 4, 2025.
Jackson didn’t stop there! She proceeded to claim that she would have loved to play with Clark. “She can sort of read plays steps ahead, she’s able to get the ball through spaces that people aren’t expecting, even her teammates.” This doesn’t come as a surprise given that Lauren has always been a CC fan.
Remember when Clark had a rough start to her life in the W? Well, Jackson was one of the first ones to defend her! “Caitlin Clark will be the next GOAT, she really is going to be one of the greats of the game, there is no doubt about it and I don’t think anyone would question that, because of the way she plays, the way she moves and the way she sees the game,” Jackson had said.
Much like Caitlin Clark, Lauren Jackson didn’t have the smoothest start to her WNBA journey either. The physicality of the league caught her off guard. In fact, Jackson picked up six technical fouls in just her first 17 games. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Clark had the same number of technicals in her rookie season as well!
While Clark would definitely cherish such high praise, but for now her focus is solely on helping her team. But it’s not just about her. The Fever are missing a big piece in DeWanna Bonner. To help achieve their championship aspirations, the presence of Bonner will be extremely important as well. So, when will she be back? Let’s dive into the latest update.
Stephanie White provides a return date for Caitlin Clark’s teammate
Bonner has missed the last three Fever games due to personal reasons. And her absence was clearly felt against the Golden State Valkyries. Having a player like Bonner, the league’s third all-time leading scorer, could have given the Fever another scoring option. Caitlin was clearly struggling, and the option to run the offense through Bonner could have made the game much more interesting.
In her nine appearances this season, Bonner has averaged 7.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.1 steals. While the numbers might not be flashy, her impact on the defensive side of things was quite clear. The Fever miss her dearly, and coach Stephanie White provided an update of sorts!
“Yeah, um, she’s doing well. Yeah. She’s doing well, again, no timeline. I think it’s stay today and for us to make sure we’re continuing to be supportive of DB,” she said. While it’s good to hear that Bonner is doing okay, there’s still no clear word on when she’ll be back on the court. Definitely not the update Fever fans were hoping for.
The Fever will play the Las Vegas Aces tomorrow and will be without Bonner. But this sets the stage perfectly for Caitlin Clark to step up and prove exactly why legends like Lauren Jackson hold her in such high regard. Can she manage to help the Fever win against a powerhouse like the Aces? Let us know your predictions down in the comments!
The post Two-Time WNBA Champion Drops Bold Caitlin Clark Take 2 Days After Fever Star’s 0-7 Shooting Performance appeared first on EssentiallySports.
