The moment that once fueled one of college basketball’s most talked about debates is now being reframed inside a WNBA locker room. As Caitlin Clark and Raven Johnson prepare to team up with the Indiana Fever, teammate Aliyah Boston has offered a perspective that cuts through the noise.
Rather than revisiting the viral 2023 Final Four clash that once defined their relationship, Aliyah Boston believes the narrative has always been overstated from the outside.
“It’s so funny because the fans always have more beef than the players actually do,” Aliyah Boston said on her Post Moves podcast. “You read all this stuff and fans are hating on one person, hating on another, and you’re playing with that said person. I think it’s going to be fine.”
That confidence comes as the Indiana Fever add Raven Johnson with the No. 10 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, bringing together two players whose college history still resonates with fans.
The origins of the storyline trace back to April 2023, when Caitlin Clark led Iowa past South Carolina in the national semifinal. During that game, Caitlin Clark famously waved off Raven Johnson on the perimeter, daring her to shoot from distance. The clip quickly spread online, becoming a defining image of the matchup.
Caitlin Clark delivered a standout performance, scoring 41 points in the upset, but the aftermath proved more complicated for Raven Johnson. She later revealed the intense online reaction had a profound personal impact.
“I got bashed. I got bullied… I wanted to quit basketball at that time,” Raven Johnson said on the I Am Next podcast, describing the emotional toll that followed the game.
Instead of stepping away, Raven Johnson used the experience as motivation. One year later, she helped South Carolina complete an undefeated season and defeat Caitlin Clark‘s Iowa in the 2024 national championship, flipping the narrative in the process.
From rivalry to reality in Indiana
Now, three years after that initial moment, both players find themselves aligned with the same goal. For Aliyah Boston, who experienced a similar transition when Caitlin Clark joined Indiana in 2024 after eliminating South Carolina, those situations tend to resolve quickly behind closed doors.
“When Caitlin Clark came after that year they beat us, we had to talk about it,” Aliyah Boston said. “It was one of those things like, ‘Wow, you dropped 40 on our heads.’ But you move past it.”
Aliyah Boston‘s familiarity with Raven Johnson adds another layer to the dynamic. The two spent time together at South Carolina, and Aliyah Boston has watched Raven Johnson‘s growth from a limited role into a first round WNBA talent.
“I’m happy to have my girl Raven Johnson,” Aliyah Boston said. “I think Raven Johnson is going to have a good WNBA career.”
Focus shifts to winning
For Raven Johnson, the opportunity represents a fresh start at the professional level. Speaking after the draft, she emphasized her willingness to learn from her new teammates, including Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston.
“I’m going to be a sponge,” Raven Johnson said. “I’m probably going to be a gnat too because I’m going to ask them a lot of questions.”
That mindset aligns with Aliyah Boston‘s view that once players step onto the court, past narratives lose relevance.
“When you’re in the gym and you’re ready to hoop, that’s literally all it is,” Aliyah Boston said.
For an Indiana Fever team building around a young core, the Caitlin ClarkRaven Johnson pairing is less about revisiting old rivalries and more about unlocking potential. While the history adds intrigue, those inside the organization appear focused on what comes next rather than what came before.
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