The Indiana Fever made franchise history on Tuesday night, securing their first-ever Commissioner’s Cup championship with a commanding 74-59 victory over the reigning champion Minnesota Lynx.
While the team’s brightest star, Caitlin Clark, was sidelined with a groin injury, that didn’t stop her from taking center stage during the postgame celebration.
Clark, recently named a captain for the upcoming WNBA All-Star Game, didn’t let her injury keep her from joining the festivities.
In a now-viral moment, the 23-year-old rookie sensation was seen shotgunning a can of beer in the locker room alongside her jubilant teammates. The moment was captured on video and quickly circulated across social media platforms, where it caught the eye of NFL great and ESPN analyst Pat McAfee.
“Just saw this video of CC shotgunning a beer during her team’s Commissioner’s Cup Celebraish last night,” McAfee posted on X, alongside the clip of Clark cracking open a can in true celebratory fashion. “CHUGGING BEERS WITH THE SQUAD #LEADER #DAWG #GOTTHEFEVER.”
As a former Indianapolis Colts punter who spent his entire eight-year NFL career in Indiana, McAfee has been an outspoken fan of Clark and the Fever throughout the season. His appreciation for Clark’s competitive spirit was evident in his glowing praise of her locker room antics.
Clark’s leadership shines even from the sidelines
Despite missing the championship matchup due to a lingering groin injury, Clark‘s presence loomed large over the Fever‘s Cup-clinching performance. Her leadership, energy, and charisma continue to be vital for a young team finding its identity on the national stage.
The video of Clark shotgunning the beer symbolized more than just locker room fun; it was another display of how she has quickly become the emotional heartbeat of the Fever.
The Fever‘s win over the Lynx was a statement game. Indiana controlled the tempo from start to finish, playing suffocating defense while executing with poise on the offensive end.
The 74-59 triumph marked a critical milestone for a franchise long searching for stability after years of rebuilding and even in street clothes, Clark was right in the middle of it all.
Unfortunately for Indiana, they’ll have little time to revel in their achievement. The Fever are set to return to action Thursday in what promises to be another stiff test: a home matchup against A’ja Wilson and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
Indiana will once again be without Clark, who has now been ruled out for a fourth straight game as she continues to recover from the groin injury.
The next opportunity for Clark to return to the court comes Saturday when the Fever face the Los Angeles Sparks. Until then, fans will have to wait a bit longer to see the WNBA Rookie of the Year back in action.
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