Caitlin Clark on historic 45 point, 10 assist night, first in WNBA history: ‘I don’t really care’

Caitlin Clark made more WNBA history Friday night, leading the Indiana Fever to a win over the Seattle Storm. In the victory, Clark dropped 45 points, 10 assists, two rebounds, four steals and two blocks. The former Iowa standout and No. 1 overall pick in 2024 became the first WNBA player to record at least 40 points and 10 assists in a game. However, she wasn’t fazed by the moment or the accomplishment as usual. Overall, it wasn’t bad for the “11th best guard in the WNBA.” Indiana is now 15-10 on the season. “I mean it’s cool, I don’t really care,” Clark said of her performance. “I know what I’m capable of. I know what this team is capable of and it’s my job to help us win and be the best team in the WNBA. I don’t think we’re there yet and it’s my responsibility to get us there, so we’ll keep working.” Indiana held onto a 59-56 lead at halftime after leading by 11 following the first quarter. Seattle made it a dog fight before Clark and the Fever outscored the Storm 28-19 in the final frame. Clark was an outstanding 11-18 from the floor, six-of-10 from downtown and 17-of-19 from the free throw line. “I feel like you just have to believe you’re going to have those type of nights,” Clark added. “And you have to visualize having those type of nights. I feel like that’s what I did … I just thought I was aggressive from the start. Miss a shot, come back and make the next. My team needed me to step up. … This game was great, but let’s move on to the next one.” Caitlin Clark makes more WNBA history, just ready for next game Indiana has the league’s sixth best record and are now tied for the top of the Eastern Conference with the Atlanta Dream. Following a year where Clark, Sophie Cunningham and others were hurt and the Fever still made a run to the conference finals, having them all back could make the difference in winning a championship. While she’s making history, Clark’s been the subject of a lot of discourse around the league and abroad. NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Clark a “political football” of sorts amid the dialogue around the WNBA. She has dealt with multiple tough fouls, including a play involving Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas when she made contact with Clark’s neck, which was not called a foul in real time. The WNBA later suspended Thomas for a game and it was upgraded to a flagrant foul. But Clark has garnered extra attention since entering the league as the No. 1 pick following a decorated career at Iowa. That high profile allowed her to build a connection with Silver, who lamented the conversation shifting to something beyond the basketball court. “I have come to know Caitlin really well,” Silver said at CNBC and Boardroom’s Game Plan Summit, via the AP. “She’s an incredible player and also an incredible person. And she wants to focus on being the best player she can. She has become a bit of a political football in this country, and I think it’s incredibly unfair to her. “I don’t think that issue is ultimately about officiating. It’s become political ping-pong with her. And she’s a young woman who’s trying to improve her game.”