Rivals Week to feature Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese
April 11 - The WNBA is introducing a "Rivals Week" to the 2025 schedule, highlighted by a clash between Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever against Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky.
Other tilts on the Aug. 9-17 slate announced Friday include a pair of WNBA Finals rematches between the reigning champion New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx, and the Atlanta Dream's Brittney Griner facing her longtime Phoenix Mercury squad.
Rivals Week will be sponsored by Ally Financial, the league's newest partner.
"Ally has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to elevating women's sports in a way that drives real impact," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a news release. "Their investment in the WNBA reflects shared goals for growing the game and expanding reach to more fans than ever before."
Clark was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and claimed Rookie of the Year honors over Reese, who finished second after leading the league in rebounding. The All-Stars met four times during the regular season, with Clark's Fever going 3-1.
Other games include the league's newest rivalry in California, where the expansion Golden State Valkyries will host the Los Angeles Sparks. Clark and the Fever will also face the Dallas Wings, who are expected to pick UConn star Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 pick in Monday's draft.
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Belfast Telegraph
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- Belfast Telegraph
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Belfast Telegraph
8 hours ago
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Down riding crest of a wave in push for All-Ireland Quarter-Final slot, insists Ceilum Doherty
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The Herald Scotland
10 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Caitlin Clark injury update: Fever star's status for game vs. Liberty
Clark suffered the quad injury during the Fever's 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24. She was initially ruled out for at least two weeks, setting up her tentative return on June 10 against the Atlanta Dream, but the Fever ultimately decided to err on the side of caution with the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Now, Clark is ready to play. She will suit up on June 14 as the Fever host the reigning champion Liberty. Indiana is getting back its leader in scoring (19 points per game) and assists (9.3); her assists per game average leads the league. The Fever went 2-3 in Clark's absence and have a 4-5 record this season entering the game against New York. Here's everything we know about Clark's injury and her return: Is Caitlin Clark playing vs. Liberty on Saturday? Yes. The Fever announced Clark will play in Indiana's matchup against the New York Liberty following a five-game absence due to a left quad injury. Caitlin Clark injury update: What happened? Clark is sure she suffered the left quad strain during the Fever's loss to the Liberty on May 24 -- where she recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists -- but she can't pinpoint a specific play that caused her injury. She only knows that it happened early on in the contest. "Obviously, adrenaline covers up a lot of stuff when you're in the heat of battle," Clark said on Thursday. "And after the game, I had some pain, and then we got an MRI, and that kind of gave me the result that I didn't want to see. But, you know, those types of things don't lie." On June 5, Clark said she's "made a lot of progress" in her recovery and "feels good." However, the star guard said she's "not going to rush back if it's not worth it," despite being inpatient to get back on the court. She described her status as "day-to-day" and said she was will undergo a reevaluation. What's Caitlin Clark been up to? Although Clark hasn't been able to take the court, the Iowa alum has kept herself busy and engaged with her team. She's been a vocal leader on the bench and has tapped into the "coaching kind of mindset," Fever coach Stephanie White previously said, to sharpen and hone her skills. Clark also cheered on her NBA counterparts, the Indiana Pacers, in the NBA Finals alongside her Fever teammates. She attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals and the Pacers' Game 6 win over the Knicks to clinch the Eastern Conference Finals, both at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Caitlin Clark stats Clark leads the WNBA in assists per game to start the 2025 season. Here's a look at the 2024 Rookie of the Year's full stats (per game): Games played : 4 : 4 Minutes : 35 : 35 Points : 19 : 19 Rebounds : 6 : 6 Assists : 9.3 : 9.3 Steals : 1.3 : 1.3 Blocks : 1 : 1 Turnovers : 5 : 5 FG% : 40.3 : 40.3 3P%: 31.4 The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news -- for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
