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Caitlin Clark overcomes ankle injury fear and Fever beats Dream

Caitlin Clark demonstrated her superheroic skills in another competition.

The WNBA superstar overcame a sprained ankle early in the first quarter of the Indiana Fever's 84-79 win over the Atlanta Dream and then set a WNBA record with 19 points for Clark in one night.

The worrying moment occurred with 3:15 left in the first quarter, when Clark appeared to sprain his ankle while attempting to get through a screen and fell to the ground in obvious pain.

Clark laid down on the ground while her teammates quickly came over to check on her while she held her left ankle.

Caitlin Clark (22) of the Fever lies injured on the court during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Dream on August 26, 2024. AP
Caitlin Clark benched due to injury during the Fever-Dream game on August 26, 2024. AP

The team's training staff examined Clark and helped her leave the field and sit on the bench, where she remained until the end of the quarter and then returned to the field for the second quarter.

After the game, Clark told reporters that she was not going to go to the locker room and just wanted to get another tattoo.

“I saw the replay and I look really soft. It wasn't that bad of a turn, but it hurt,” Clark told reporters. “Sometimes you just have to give yourself a second. If you've ever sprained your ankle, it just stings a little bit. I was fine.”

She added: “You're not a real basketball player unless you've sprained your ankles a lot. Then you know it.”

Clark finished the game hitting 4-of-9 three-pointers, tying the WNBA rookie record for most three-pointers made with her 85th of the year from a stepback three-pointer with just over eight minutes left on the fourth quarter clock.

The record was set by Rhyne Howard during her rookie season in 2022, and ironically, Howard was guarding Clark at the time of her record-breaking three-point shot.

The Fever were in the lead throughout the game on Monday night, although Atlanta managed to catch up at the end.

Clark sank 6 of 14 field goals and also picked up seven rebounds and seven assists in Indiana's win.

Caitlin Clark during the Fever Dream game on August 26, 2024. NBAE via Getty Images

Clark didn't seem to mind the ankle after her return and made several spectacular plays, including a behind-the-back play where she got past a defender for a layup in the third quarter.

The victory over the Dream was played at State Farm Arena, which was moved from the Dream's regular arena, Gateway Center Arena, to accommodate the larger than usual crowd that came to see Clark play.

With 17,608 fans coming to the game, the Dream set a new franchise attendance record.

“Of course we know who Caitlin Clark is and what importance she has in this league and especially this year,” Tina Charles of the Dream told reporters before the game.

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