WNBA news with Caitlin Clark stunned by LeBron James as Fever star breaks new record

Headlines around the WNBA as Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark speaks about LeBron James and breaks another record, while Paige Bueckers is improving during her rookie season

Caitlin Clark has made a strong start to her sophomore year in the WNBA, continuing to break records while in the spotlight.

Clark received well-wishes from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James ahead of the Indiana Fever’s game against the Atlanta Dream. She went on to write her name in the league’s history books once again with a remarkable individual performance despite suffering a narrow 91-90 defeat. She will have a chance at redemption in a rematch against Atlanta on Thursday.

Fever coach Stephanie White was unsurprised that her team came up short, having identified the weakness that most opposition teams will look to target this season. Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers began to prove her doubters wrong as the Dallas Wings rookie gave a more impressive showing in her second WNBA appearance.

Caitlin Clark stunned by LeBron James

Clark helped the Fever get their season off to a winning start against the Chicago Sky last week, with the team recording an emphatic 93-58 win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Before the game, LeBron took to Instagram to wish Clark well in her season opener, writing: “Good luck and DO YOU per usual this season!!!” and subsequently congratulated her on posting a triple-double in the win over Chicago.

I saw that [post], I didn’t see it before the game, but obviously, a lot of people had sent it to me after the game, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ Like I thought it was kind of fake at first,” Clark admitted, as per Sports Illustrated. “You never know in today’s world, I guess! … I was like, ‘Wait, is this actually LeBron James?’ I knew the picture was real, ’cause I knew that was me, but that was pretty incredible. I don’t get too starstruck, but he’s one of those people [where] I did.”

As one of the leading stars in the WNBA, Clark has crossed paths with many famous stars in recent years. However, the Fever guard admitted that meeting James was a slightly different experience.

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“I knew I was gonna meet him when I was coming to the game and that’s one of my idols,” Clark recalled. “LeBron is the GOAT to me, so it was just a crazy moment where I got to meet him in the back. And for him to go out of his way and wish me luck on the season. He really does follow the WNBA and he watches and he loves and appreciates basketball and he loves and appreciates the way the Fever and my teammates play. It’s just really cool.”

Clark breaks WNBA record

Following her triple-double last weekend, Clark continued to showcase her star quality in the Fever’s following game against the Atlanta Dream. Indiana finished on the wrong side of a narrow 91-90 defeat, but Clark still managed to rack up 27 points and 11 assists.

It may have come in a losing effort, but those numbers meant that the 23-year-old broke Sabrina Ionescu’s record for the most games with 25 points and 10 assists. It is the sixth time in 42 games that Clark has been that influential on the court, compared to Ionescu’s previous record, which was achieved in her fifth WNBA season.

Moreover, Clark is tied with veteran Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot for the most 20-point and 10-assist games, with the record at 10 matches. Clark will hope for a similar individual performance as the Fever prepare to take on the Dream tonight.

Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White began working together in the WNBA offseason

Stephanie White admission

New Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White admitted that she knows the weakness opposing sides will target this season, following their narrow loss to Atlanta. Former Connecticut Sun coach White enjoyed a 5-1 record against Indiana last year by being more physical against the Fever. White spotted a similar trait in Atlanta’s display on Tuesday.

“We didn’t handle their physicality. That’s going to be the M.O. against us all year long,” White explained to ESPN. “Teams are going to be physical. That’s how I’d play us.

“They’re going to push us, they’re going to shove us, they’re going to hold us. They’re going to do whatever they’re allowed to get away with, and we have figure out how to use that physicality against them.

Her team will soon have a chance to avenge the defeat and learn from their past mistakes when they take on the Dream again tonight. The game has been moved to the State Farm Arena, with an almost 17,000 capacity, as Atlanta looks to accommodate the larger crowd for the visit of a Clark-inspired Indiana.

Paige Bueckers has improved since her WNBA debut(Image: Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

Paige Bueckers silencing doubters

Number one draft pick Paige Bueckers is continuing to show her talent despite a disappointing start to the season. The 23-year-old faced doubters after struggling in the Dallas Wings’ opening 99-84 defeat to the Minnesota Lynx, but produced a stronger showing against the Seattle Storm.