Caitlin Clark Draws Strong Reaction from Kelsey Mitchell Before Fever-Liberty
Caitlin Clark Draws Strong Reaction from Kelsey Mitchell Before Fever-Liberty originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After missing the last five Indiana Fever games due to a left quad injury, Caitlin Clark has been back on the court in practice this week, eyeing a possible return on Saturday against the New York Liberty.
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"We limited their reps, but we really tried to see if we could get them up and down the floor a little bit," Indiana head coach Stephanie White said of Clark and fellow injured guard Sophie Cunningham at Thursday's practice. "Starting to try to get into game rhythm, game speed, game pace."
While the exact health of her leg muscle is hard to know, Clark's clutch gene appeared to be at 100 percent in the final drill of practice, and Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell took notice.
Indiana Fever guards Kelsey Mitchell (0) and Caitlin Clark (22).Grace Smith, Grace Hollars - IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Clark participated in a shooting drill requiring the team to make 15 shots in 30 seconds from multiple locations on the floor.
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When it was time for mid-range jumpers — one of the parts of Clark's game she worked hard to improve after her 2024 Rookie of the Year campaign — the clock aligned for the 23-year-old to make a buzzer-beater to end the practice.
Mitchell reacted to Clark's shot by making the "choke" sign. It was a gesture made famous by Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller during a clutch performance against the New York Knicks in the 1994 NBA playoffs.
Current-day Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton brought back the iconic gesture after his game-tying shot against the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals on May 21.
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It has taken over the basketball scene in Indianapolis, as Clark was seen mimicking the gesture while attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the Fever also play.
Clark's status for the Liberty game on Saturday is unknown as of Thursday. Her averages of 19 points, 6 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game would provide a huge boost to a Fever team that put up its worst offensive performance since 2017 in a loss to Atlanta on Tuesday.
The last game Clark played was against the Liberty, a 90-88 loss, where she was unable to get a shot up to win the game on the final possession.
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Related: Stephanie White Makes Proposal After Fever Loss Without Caitlin Clark
Related: Caitlin Clark Earns New Nickname for What She Did After Pacers Game
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
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