Caitlin Clark gets LeBron James’ backing after beating Angel Reese on Saturday

Caitlin Clark dropped a triple-double in the Indiana Fever’s blowout win over Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky — and LeBron James made sure to show her love before and after the game

Caitlin Clark’s stellar WNBA season debut caught the attention of NBA royalty. After leading the Indiana Fever to a dominant 93–58 win over Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on opening night, Clark received high praise from LeBron James, who publicly backed the rookie star before and after the game.

James, who posted a photo with Clark prior to tip-off on Instagram, offered words of encouragement, writing: “Good luck and DO YOU per usual this season!!!” Hours later, Clark delivered, notching the first triple-double of her professional career — 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists — and helping the Fever to their first win of the season. The NBA legend didn’t wait long to recognize the performance. On X, James tweeted: “TRIPLE DUB CC!! Great way to kick off the season!”

It was a night that had everything — a dominant win, a triple-double, and even a tense moment between two of the WNBA’s most talked-about rookies. Midway through the third quarter, Clark committed a flagrant foul on Reese, shoving her to the ground after an offensive rebound. Angel Reese received a technical foul, and the contact was upgraded to a flagrant 1.

But Clark brushed off the idea that it was anything more than a physical play.

“Let’s not make it something that it’s not,” she said after the game.

“It was just a good play on the basketball. I’m not sure what the ref saw to upgrade it, and that’s up to their discretion.

“It’s a take foul to put them at the free throw line. I’ve watched a lot of basketball in my life, that’s exactly what it was. I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. That’s not the type of player I am.”

Reese, meanwhile, referred to the play as “a basketball play” and did not escalate the situation in her post-game comments.

The rivalry between Clark and Reese traces back to the 2023 NCAA Championship, when Reese’s LSU Tigers defeated Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in a highly publicized showdown.

Since then, the pair have remained centerpieces of the women’s basketball landscape — now as professionals.

Yet on this night, Clark’s performance — and the attention it drew from one of the biggest stars in sports — took center stage.

James’ public support signals just how closely the basketball world is watching the Fever rookie as she transitions into the pro game.

Indiana’s next matchup is against the Atlanta Dream, where Clark will look to build on her explosive debut.

With the season just getting started, her growing connection with fans, legends, and headlines alike suggests that more memorable nights are on the way