Caitlin Clark Is Recruiting Sabrina Ionescu to the Indiana Fever
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Indiana Fever entered the 2025 WNBA season with championship hopes. They received a lot of hype as a potential contender, but no one saw the injury issues that Caitlin Clark has been dealing with coming.
On multiple occasions, Clark has been forced to miss time due to injury. Coming out of the All-Star break, she has missed time as well.
Despite not being on the court, Clark is trying to make an impact. Even past cheering her team on from the sideline, she is openly trying to recruit another WNBA star to Indiana.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty talk during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 6, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty talk during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 6, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Photo byOn a post from New York Liberty star sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu about the All-Star game being her fourth appearance, Clark commented with a clear recruiting pitch.
Read more: WNBA Legend Gets Honest About Caitlin Clark's Concerning Injury
In a comment on the post, Clark made a point to note that Ionescu looked good in the All-Star game locker room. Why is that a recruiting pitch? The All-Star game was held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home of the Fever.
"looking real natural in that lockerroom," Clark wrote in the comment.
Ionescu coming to Indiana to play alongside Clark would be a league-altering move for the WNBA. Just because Clark is recruiting her doesn't mean that there is any chance of the move happening, but it's interesting to note.
During the 2025 WNBA season thus far, Ionescu has had another big year. She has played in 21 games, averaging 18.4 points per game to go along with 5.7 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. Ionescu has also shot 37.7 percent from the floor and 31.7 percent from three-point range.
Clark, on the other hand, has played in just 13 games so far this year. She has averaged 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, five rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting 36.7 percent from the floor and 27.9 percent from the three-point line.
Read more: Angel Reese Bracing for WNBA Suspension After Sky-Lynx
While this is just in the recruiting stage, Clark's interest in playing alongside Ionescu is clear. Indiana might try to accommodate that interest if the opportunity presents itself.
At the very least, this is a situation worth keeping an eye on for the future. Ionescu and Clark would make for a very fun WNBA duo to watch.
Make sure to follow Newsweek Sports for all Indiana Fever and WNBA news and updates.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
6 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Record sale of WNBA's Sun adds fuel to the league's smoldering contract dispute
The latest big money flex for the WNBA came over the weekend with the news that a minority owner of the Boston Celtics plans to buy the Connecticut Sun for $325 million, move the team from its strange casino location in Uncasville, Conn., to Boston, and sink another $100 million into a practice facility. The last time a WNBA team was sold, in 2021, the price tag was estimated at $10 million for the Atlanta Dream. It's yet another log tossed onto the blaze building beneath the contract negotiations between the league and the WNBA Player's Association over a new collective bargaining agreement. The money is rolling into the WNBA. The Golden State Valkyries — which Joe Lacob bought in 2023 for a $50 million expansion fee — were recently valued at $500 million and Lacob thinks it could have been higher. Three new expansion teams — Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia — recently went for $250 million apiece. Last year, the league signed a monster media rights deal for $2.2 billion. The league set a record in attendance last season and is up even more this year. Viewership is also up 21%, even though megastar Caitlin Clark has missed several games with injury. All of this is the backdrop to the CBA negotiations that have been looming over the entire season. Last October, the players opted out of the remaining year of their contract — which was signed in 2020, when things were much different, a move everyone could see coming for a couple of years. The current contract expires Oct. 31. But despite all the forewarning, the rapid growth of the league and the increased value, negotiations aren't going smoothly. That became clear at last month's All-Star Game, when more than 40 players showed up to an in-person bargaining session in Indianapolis, a turnout that WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike called 'historic.' But no progress was made. 'I think, to be frank, it was a wasted opportunity,' Liberty star Breanna Stweart said afterwards. 'It was pretty shocking to see. Not many things we agreed on.' The players want a number of things including roster expansion and improved conditions around things such as travel and schedule. But the main thing they want is a significant piece of the pie that they have been baking for years. 'We feel we are owed a piece of the pie we helped create,' WNBPA vice president Napheesa Collier said. The players know it is their play and their connection with fans that has made their league so successful and so attractive to new investors. 'We should be paid more and hopefully that's the case moving forward,' said Clark, the catalyst for much of the growth. The players, like most professional athletes, want revenue sharing. While most men's CBAs call for a 50-50 split in revenues, the WNBA is woefully under 10%. 'We players know what we're worth,' Ogwumike said. 'The fans know what we're worth. Now we need the league to know what we're worth.' The All-Star players took the court for the game in Indianapolis in black warmup shirts that read 'PAY US WHAT YOU OWE US.' Signs saying 'Pay the players' were waved in the crowd. After the game, when commissioner Cathy Englebert took the court, she was booed by the crowd and drowned out by chants of 'Pay them! Pay them!' The event was reminiscent of other times female athletes have used the power of clothing and when they have understood the significance of getting the public on their side. In 2019, the U.S. women's national soccer team sued the U.S. Soccer Federation for equal pay prior to the World Cup, which they went on to win. Their achievement was celebrated by roars of 'Equal pay! Equal pay!' The soccer players took the field for a game wearing inside-out shirts to protest their situation — facsimiles of which were later marketed. The lawsuit was finally settled in the players' favor in 2022. WNBA players know the power of a persuasive T-shirt. They were at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement, years before it swept the country after George Floyd's murder. They used their platform in the 'Wubble' during the pandemic, wearing shirts saying 'Vote Warnock,' in protest of Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler. That boost in recognition helped the Rev. Raphael Warnock, who subsequently won a Georgia senate seat and flipped the U.S. Senate. The WNBA players have long known how to use their platform. And their fans will support them. Smart business people like Lacob see the value in the league. He believes the Valkyries, with their spectacular game day experience and state-of-the-art facilities, are raising the bar for the entire league. 'The whole league is doing much better,' Lacob told me in June. 'Some aren't. Some are weak sisters, so to speak. We need to make it a better league. I think that's going to happen. It just takes time.' One of those weak sisters has been the Sun. Connecticut plays in a casino, doesn't have its own facilities and is considered one of the worst-run franchises in the league. But the Sun is now headed for a brighter future, with the pending sale to a group led by private equity investor Steve Pagliuca. The evidence keeps mounting: the WNBA — and the league players — are valuable entities worthy of investment. But will a deal get done? Or will the soaring popularity of the league come to a screeching halt with a work stoppage? 'We're on a time crunch,' Collier said. 'No one wants a lock out.' With every positive development for the WNBA, the fire burning under contract negotiations keeps getting bigger and bigger. Does management feel the heat?
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
WNBA Analyst Ripped For 'Blatantly Wrong' Caitlin Clark Comparison
WNBA Analyst Ripped For 'Blatantly Wrong' Caitlin Clark Comparison originally appeared on The Spun. Even though Caitlin Clark has been sidelined since July 15, she continues to be the topic of conversation in the WNBA community. On Friday night, the Indiana Fever defeated the Dallas Wings thanks to a 23-point performance from Kelsey Mitchell. During ION's in-game coverage, analyst Tiffany Bias Pelton compared Paige Bueckers' rookie season to Clark's 2024 campaign. Bueckers has been tremendous for the Wings, averaging 18.5 points and 5.5 assists per game. Clark, on the other hand, averaged 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game during her rookie season. After ION displayed a graphic about Bueckers and Clark, they turned over to Pelton for her thoughts. She said, "You can tell they are two different styles of players. Paige is getting people involved. Caitlin's more looking for her shot." What made this such a head-scratching remark from Pelton was that she had the numbers in front of her. Clark averaged three more assists than Bueckers during her rookie season. Sure, Clark is looking to light up her opponents with a barrage of 3-pointers. But the numbers prove she tries to get her teammates involved. After all, she led the league in assists last season. To the surprise of absolutely no one, WNBA fans ripped Pelton for her bizarre commentary. "I'll never understand this lol Caitlin broke the LEAGUE record for most assists her rookie year and they still refuse to say she's an amazing playmaker," one fan replied. "Paige has an exceptional midrange game and a quick release. I'll give her that. She is not near the playmaker that Clark is - no one else is," a second fan wrote. "Who said this?,You can't be a league leader in assists if all you're doing is looking for your own shot," a third fan argued. "Like can they not read?! The assists stats are right in front of their face," another fan said. It's a shame that fans and media members can't just appreciate Bueckers and Clark's greatness. They'll be representing the WNBA for a very long time. The Fever will be back in action this Sunday against the Seattle Storm. As of now, there's no timetable for Clark's return. Bueckers, meanwhile, will be on the hardwood Tuesday night against the New York Analyst Ripped For 'Blatantly Wrong' Caitlin Clark Comparison first appeared on The Spun on Aug 3, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ionescu scores 36, Meesseman has 11 in debut as Liberty beat Sun 87-78 to snap 4-game skid
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Sabrina Ionescu scored 36 points, Emma Meesseman had 11 points in her return to the WNBA and the New York Liberty snapped a four-game losing streak with an 87-78 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. Jonquel Jones added 21 points and nine rebounds for the Liberty (18-10), who were without All-Star Breanna Stewart for a fourth-straight game because of a bruised knee. Tina Charles had 17 points and eight rebounds and Anneesah Moorow 16 points and nine rebounds for the the Sun (5-22), who handed the Liberty their worst loss of the season on Friday 78-62. Bria Hartley added 12 points and Marina Mabrey 10. Meesseman, a former finals MVP who last played in the league in 2022 before winning the EuroLeague Women's MVP the last three seasons, did all her damage in the second half. Ionescu had 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season to go with her fifth 30-point game as she finished a point shy of her career best. She also surpassed 1,000 assists, the third-fastest to reach that milestone. Ionescu had 16 points of New York's first 20 and the Liberty scored the last nine of the first quarter to take a 25-19 lead that they never relinquished. She had 20 and Jones 13 for a 45-38 lead at the half. Meesseman got on the scoreboard with a pair of free throws early in the third quarter, and scored seven during a 9-2 surge that saw the Liberty turn a four-point lead into the first double-figure lead of the day, 54-43. New York took a 66-57 lead into the fourth quarter. ___ AP WNBA: The Associated Press
