Latest news with #Commissioner'sCupFinal
New York Post
05-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Fever are ‘more dangerous' without Caitlin Clark, ESPN analyst boldly argues
One ESPN analyst stirred the pot on 'SportsCenter' after the Fever's win on Thursday. And it was yet another without the injured Caitlin Clark. Carolyn Peck claimed that the Fever are actually 'more dangerous' without their star guard. 'I think that Indiana is even more dangerous when Caitlin Clark doesn't play because she's a ball-dominant guard,' she said. 'The ball's in her hands a lot, so you know what you need to try to take away. But when you look at Indiana now, they've got so many weapons.' Caitlin Clark has had an uneasy 2025 season, largely due to ongoing injuries. Getty Images The Fever improved to 9-8 following their stunning 81-54 rout of the Aces despite Clark's absence. Indiana's other star in the backcourt — Kelsey Mitchell — netted 25 points, a team-high, on 9-of-18 shooting with four made 3-pointers on six attempts from deep. Indiana also topped the Minnesota Lynx 74-59 in the Commissioner's Cup Final without Clark. 'When you have a point guard like Kelsey Mitchell, and Aari McDonald making plays on the perimeter, and a post like Aliyah Boston, I'm gonna tell you: Indiana, they are a threat. And it's specifically on the defensive end,' Peck said. With Clark, the Fever are 5–4, averaging an 85.0 offensive rating. Without Clark, Indiana has posted a 5-4 record as well — including the Cup win — but with a modest decline in offense, averaging around an 80.2 offensive rating, although their defense's points allowed drops by nearly five per 100 possessions. Clark's injury-plagued season has caused her to miss half the Fever games this year due to a left quad strain and a groin ailment. And Peck notes that others have elevated in her absence, which does tend to happen when a high-usage player is sidelined, especially on the defensive end because the director of heliocentric offensive play hardly has the energy to be an elite defender. Carolyn Peck was complimentary of the Fever without Caitlin Clark. NBAE via Getty Images That said, it's hard to build a case for the Fever being more potent without Clark in the long term, despite their encouraging moments. The high-profile sophomore has been named an All-Star for a second consecutive season despite her injuries. Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.6 turnovers on 42/34/91 shooting splits as a rookie. This season, Clark is at 18.2 points, 8.9 assists and 5.9 turnovers per game. Clark is expected to miss yet another game, her 1oth of the season, as the Fever play the Sparks on Saturday.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sophie Cunningham Twerking Gone Viral, Caitlin Clark Rejects Fan Request
Sophie Cunningham Twerking Gone Viral, Caitlin Clark Rejects Fan Request originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Indiana Fever made history on the court, but it was Sophie Cunningham who lit up the internet. Advertisement Following the Fever's stunning 74–59 Commissioner's Cup victory over the Minnesota Lynx, Cunningham celebrated the franchise's first Cup title with a move no one saw coming. As her teammates posed with the trophy and popped champagne, Cunningham turned toward the locker room camera, dropped into a twerk, and instantly set social media ablaze. The moment lasted mere seconds. But in the modern sports world, that's more than enough to go viral. Yet amid the noise, Cunningham's moment sparked a surge of interest in the Fever, and that may be the most important point of all. In a league that still fights for media attention, this viral moment kept the spotlight firmly on Indiana's night of triumph. Advertisement And it wasn't just Cunningham who had fans talking. Her postgame Instagram carousel, a behind-the-scenes blend of Fever travel, court highlights, and locker room laughs, drew major reactions from teammates Caitlin Clark and Lexie Hull. Yet the real social media moment came when a fan begged Clark in the comments: 'Come on CC, shake it!' Clark's response? Blunt and honest: 'I don't think you guys want that.' A witty rejection that instantly became its meme, reinforcing Clark's cool confidence even from the sidelines. Clark has missed the Fever's last three games with a groin strain, but her absence didn't slow Indiana down. The Fever erased a 13-point deficit in the Commissioner's Cup Final behind a dominant 18–0 run in the second quarter. Advertisement Natasha Howard was named the unanimous Cup MVP, finishing with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and a commanding defensive performance against Lynx star Napheesa Collier. Aliyah Boston added a double-double, while Cunningham dropped 13 points, including a game-sealing three in the fourth quarter. The Fever's win proved they're more than just the Caitlin Clark show. They're deep, resilient, and capable of rising under pressure. And Sophie Cunningham? She's now the unofficial hype queen of a team brimming with confidence. While Commissioner's Cup wins don't count toward regular season standings, they carry real weight in pride and prize money. The Fever's $500,000 win shows a rising powerhouse, and Cunningham's postgame twerk, for better or worse, ensured the moment wasn't forgotten. As for Caitlin Clark, her focus remains on getting healthy. But between her playful jabs on Instagram and the Fever's statement win without her, Indiana fans suddenly find themselves with something rare: swagger, depth, and momentum. Advertisement In 2025, the Fever aren't just competing. They're vibing and dancing, all the way to relevance. Related: New Video Shows How Caitlin Clark Gets Hit During Game, Fever Teammate Gets Revenge This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Herald Scotland
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Dick Vitale rips WNBA players over Caitlin Clark All-Star voting
At least one person seemed to think Clark was ranked ninth by her fellow players. ESPN's longtime college basketball analyst Dick Vitale ripped the WNBA players after seeing the results of the voting. "Absolutely PURE JEALOUSY that ??@WNBA players voted Caitlin Clark the 9th best guard. Some day they will realize what she Has done for ALL of the players in the WNBA . Charted planes - increase in salaries-sold out crowds - improved TV Ratings," Vitale wrote on social media. Absolutely PURE JEALOUSY that ?@WNBA? players voted Caitlin Clark the 9 th best guard . Some day they will realize what she Has done for ALL of the players in the WNBA . Charted planes - increase in salaries-sold out crowds - improved TV Ratings — Dick Vitale (@DickieV) July 1, 2025 The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be played on July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals and has missed seven games this season due to a quad and then a groin injury. Clark is listed as questionable for Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup Final against the Lynx and Collier.
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dick Vitale rips WNBA players' 'pure jealousy' on Caitlin Clark All-Star votes
The WNBA announced the players who will participate in the annual All-Star Game on Monday, and while Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier were the top vote-getters and named captains, the results of how the vote was tabulated bothered some. The voting process consists of 50% fan votes, 25% WNBA player votes, and 25% media votes. Clark received the most fan votes, but when it came to her fellow peers in the league, for some reason, she isn't quite regarded as an elite player as a guard. The media voted her third in their rankings behind Allisha Gray of Atlanta, and New York's Sabrina Ionescu. At least one person seemed to think Clark was ranked ninth by her fellow players. ESPN's longtime college basketball analyst Dick Vitale ripped the WNBA players after seeing the results of the voting. "Absolutely PURE JEALOUSY that @WNBA players voted Caitlin Clark the 9th best guard. Some day they will realize what she Has done for ALL of the players in the WNBA . Charted planes - increase in salaries-sold out crowds - improved TV Ratings," Vitale wrote on social media. The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be played on July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals and has missed seven games this season due to a quad and then a groin injury. Clark is listed as questionable for Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup Final against the Lynx and Collier.
New York Post
01-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Caitlin Clark's shocking placement in WNBA players' All-Star voting revealed
Caitlin Clark mania continues to grow among basketball fans, but other WNBA players remain unimpressed. Clark received a record 1,293,536 fan votes for this year's All-Star game in Indianapolis, but she ranked just ninth among guards in the player vote. Advertisement The media vote ranked Clark third, and the combined total earned the Fever star the second-best weighted score among guards, tied with the Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu and just behind the Wings' Paige Buckers. Clark will be one of two captains for the All-Star game, along with Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, since the pair placed first and second in the fan vote. 3 WNBA players voted Caitlin Clark as the ninth-best guard in the All-Star vote. AP In the player vote, Clark was not even the highest ranked player on her team – Kelsey Mitchell placed three spots better at No. 6. Advertisement Clark has seen a slight dip in her stats from last season, averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game on 29.5 percent efficiency from beyond the arc. In 40 games last year, she put up 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds, while shooting 34.4 percent from downtown. Perhaps more importantly, though, Clark has struggled to stay on the floor this season, playing in just nine of Indiana's 16 games. Advertisement 3 Caitlin Clark has missed seven games this season with injury. Doug McSchooler/for IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK The former Iowa standout missed five games in May and June with a left quad strain, and she has missed the Fever's last two games with a left groin injury. She is questionable for Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup Final against the Lynx. 3 Caitlin Clark is bumped during a Sun-Fever game earlier this year. AP Advertisement While Clark does not have enough games played to qualify, she would rank 11th in the WNBA in scoring and second in assists. Even while missing time, the 23-year-old has shown flashes of her dominance this season, including a 32-point, eight-rebound, nine-assist effort in her return from injury against the Liberty on June 14 and a 20-point triple double against the Sky on opening night.
