It had been nearly three weeks without playing, five games in which Indiana had to figure things out without its leader. But this Saturday Caitlin Clarkreturned, and she didn’t take long to make it clear that she didn’t need time to find her rhythm. From the very first quarter she took over the game with authority, and when it was over she still had one more move left, far from the court.
At the press conference after a big win against the New York Liberty, Clark sat next to her teammate Lexie Hull. While answering questions a reporter spoke up, but his phone was ringing. Clark looked at him and without changing her tone dropped a line that froze the room: “You can’t ask a question on the phone while it’s ringing. You can ask it after you turn it off.” That was it.
The reaction was instant. Hull smiled without hiding it. Nobody said another word. Clark wasn’t angry. She just calmly set a clear boundary. It was her way of showing she’s fully present, that she hears everything, and that she doesn’t let things slide. It wasn’t just a joke, it was a signal of who’s in charge.
On the court it was the same. Clark finished with 32 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds. She hit six threes in the first half and led Indiana on a 25 to 3 run in the third quarter that changed everything. The Liberty defense couldn’t stop her. Indiana won, ended New York’s unbeaten streak and took the lead in the Commissioner’s Cup. “This is how the Fever are supposed to play,” she said. That Saturday she returned to action, but more importantly she returned to lead.
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