The 2025 WNBA season is right around the corner, and if one thing is clear, it’s that Caitlin Clark-mania still exists. The superstar guard is set to enter her second year in the league after enjoying a successful rookie campaign in 2024 with the Indiana Fever, and ahead of the season, Clark drew a strong message from WNBA legend Lisa Leslie.
Over the past few years, Clark has helped transform the WNBA and women’s basketball as a whole. It started during her time in college with the Iowa Hawkeyes, where Clark’s lights out shooting caught the attention of sports fans everywhere. Then, in her first season in the pros, Clark proved that her play in college wasn’t a fluke, as she quickly established herself as one of the top players in the league.
Lisa Leslie has High Hopes for Caitlin Clark in 2025
In her first season with the Fever, Clark was dominant. The star guard averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 41.7% from the field. Clark’s strong play earned her an All-Star selection, a spot on the All-WNBA First-Team, and the Rookie of the Year Award, with the latter seeing her embark on a season-long battle with another hyped rookie on the Chicago Sky, Angel Reese.
Clark led Indiana to the playoffs, but they were quickly swept by the Connecticut Sun in the first round. After setting the floor last season, it feels like the sky’s the limit for Clark and the Fever this time around. Despite achieving so much individually last season, it feels like Indiana could take another big step forward in 2025.
For Clark, that could result in a serious run for the MVP Award after she finished in fourth place last season. On a team level, a deeper playoff run is the goal, and the Fever are definitely in a better position to go far this season after making a slew of moves over the offseason. While Leslie is already proud of what Clark has accomplished, she also knows that she is only scratching the surface of her potential.
“Let me just say, Caitlin Clark has had an amazing impact on the WNBA,” Leslie said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “Her ability to come out and play, especially after her college season. And then to come into the WNBA and just really have the effect that she did, it was really outstanding. I was so proud of Caitlin.”
Caitlin Clark Stars in Fever’s Preseason Win vs. Brazil National Team
Joe Buglewicz/Getty Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever reacts as they play the Connecticut Sun during the fourth quarter of Game Two of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs first round at Mohegan Sun Arena on September 25, 2024 in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Clark missed the Fever’s first preseason contest against the Washington Mystics with a leg injury, but she suited up on Sunday when Indiana took on the Brazil national team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which is where Clark played during her time in college with Iowa. Clark was spectacular per usual, scoring 16 points while hauling in six rebounds and dishing out five assists in 19 minutes of action.
The Fever have just one preseason game left before the regular season gets underway, as they will play the Atlanta Dream on Saturday, May 10 at 3 p.m. ET. Then, all the games after that will matter, as they will face off against Reese and the Sky to open their regular season campaign on Saturday, May 17 at 3 p.m. ET.
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