Kembali
The NBA spotlight quickly turned to the Philadelphia 76ers after they acquired All-Star Jaylen Brown in a trade with the Boston Celtics and the league’s all-time leading scorer, LeBron James. In the WNBA, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever remain the league’s biggest television draw.
On Wednesday, Clark and the 76ers crossed paths when she attended their 114-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Clark has reportedly developed a relationship with James over the years. So when the 76ers were in Indianapolis to take on the Pacers, she was in attendance, sitting courtside. It marked the second Pacers game Clark attended at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this season.
The 76ers dominated the fourth quarter and rallied for the win. James had 13 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds, while Maxey scored a game-high 27 points.
After the game, Clark met with Maxey and James.
“I think that was my first time really meeting her,” Maxey said in the locker room, per Zion Brown of the Indianapolis Star. “Honestly, that’s just another person that I like to watch. She cold; she nice. Seeing her today was really cool. Sometimes you try not to fan out, but it was really cool seeing her. It’s her building; she plays here too. … So it’s good seeing her. She’s nice.”
James did not speak about his relationship or visit with Clark after Wednesday’s game. However, back in 2024, James claimed he was rooting for her because he has “been in that seat before,” referring to the hype he had when he was the first overall pick in 2003.
“I’m rooting for Caitlin because I’ve been in that seat before,” James said. “I’ve walked that road before. I hope she kills. I hope Aliyah Boston does amazing. I hope they do great.”
That is a lot of high praise for Clark, who is coming off a fantastic season. Even though her talent has long been on display, the former Iowa Hawkeye took another step this past season.
Clark averaged 22.3 points, 8.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 44.5% from the field and 36.1% from three, both career highs.
Although the Fever have some decisions to make, including whether to pursue new deals with unrestricted free agents Kelsey Mitchell and Sophie Cunningham, Clark and Aliyah Boston give Indiana a strong foundation that should make the Fever a massive threat for years to come.