Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut live updates: Indiana Fever v Connecticut Sun start time and how to watch
Key events
Does anyone remember the ABL? No?
The American Basketball League was launched in 1996, before the WNBA. The ABL offered players more money. The WNBA offered more marketing and a schedule that did not conflict with the NBA and college basketball.
Now, almost thirty years later, Caitlin Clark is in the spotlight. But it’s also about the league itself, just as attention turned to MLS when David Beckham was signed — or even to the NBA itself when Magic Johnson and Larry Bird entered the league after taking center stage in the 1979 NCAA finals.
Can the league capitalize on the star power of Clark – and other talented players working their way into a league that doesn’t have much room for rookies?
We won’t get an answer tonight. We’ll just have a fun basketball game to watch. To enjoy.
Our writers on the upcoming season for Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark is…
A phenomenon that must be given the grace to adapt. The Indiana Fever will have to get used to utilizing the space Clark creates, rather than relying solely on her to orchestrate plays. Players like NaLyssa Smith, Temi Fagbenle and Aliyah Boston will play a crucial role in transferring the ball to Clark, and can improve their own individual stats as opponents focus on containing Clark’s attacking threat. Yara El Shaboury
Under a shine unlike any player before her. The all-time leader in major college basketball history is the bandleader of a sensational rookie class that has redefined all expectations for how women’s sports can be exposed, marketed and consumed. It also makes for a steep learning curve in a cutthroat competition where veterans are known to be sparing with newcomers. Clark will face the best efforts on a nightly basis from opponents looking to leverage her unprecedented reach. Bryan Graham
A rising tide that lifts all boats, but she is also ready for an adjustment. I don’t just mean the regular transitions that rookies go through as they compete with seasoned pros, and the rhythms of a W season, but also the stardom that comes to shape her world. She had glimpsed it at Iowa, but college was a bubble for her. This phase will be so very different and I hope the Fever have a good buffer plan in place. Katie Heidl
Feel immediately at home, setting up threes with much the same abandon as Iowa. It will be interesting to see if she can pick her spots as she sees fit once the matches count and the competition increases. But I expect her to raise the bar in Indiana in much the same way New York’s Sabrina Ionescu did in her 2020 debut. Andreas Laurens
How to watch Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever
Beau will be visiting soon. In the meantime, find out more about tonight’s match here:
Start time: Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut for the Indiana Fever begins at 7:30 PM ET against the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Where to watch: The game can be seen on ESPN2, ESPN+ and Disney+
There has also been widespread discussion about the relatively low pay Clark will earn as a WNBA player, especially compared to her NBA counterparts. Andrew Lawrence laid out the merits – and the arguments – for us this week:
You can also find our complete WNBA season predictions here: