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Caitlin Clark Receives One-Word Message From Ex-Clippers Starter

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was named TIME's Athlete of the Year.

Joey Linn

Jun 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on during the first half of the game against the Phoenix Mercury at Footprint Center.
Jun 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on during the first half of the game against the Phoenix Mercury at Footprint Center. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark entered the WNBA with massive expectations after breaking Pete Maravich’s NCAA scoring record in her final season at Iowa. Selected first overall by Indiana, Clark exceeded expectations on and off the court.

On the court, Clark broke numerous WNBA records, which included her unprecedented statistical averages of 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds. Also breaking records off the court, Clark helped generate historic viewership and attendance numbers. All of this led to the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year being named TIME's Athlete of the Year.

TIME announced this news on social media, linking their exclusive interview with the Fever star.

Clark also shared this news with a post on Instagram, crediting the photographer, stylist, makeup artist, and more. This post has over 440,000 likes and likes 5,800 comments. One comment Clark received came from former LA Clippers starting forward Matt Barnes.

Via Barnes: “Salute 🫡”

Matt Barnes
Former NBA forward Matt Barnes comments on Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark's Instagram post. / caitlinclark22 / Instagram

Barnes played 14 seasons in the NBA, winning a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2017. That was Barnes’ final year in the league, as he appeared in 20 regular season games for Golden State and 12 postseason games.

During his time with the Clippers, Barnes made 257 appearances (127 starts), averaging 9.3 points per game. Barnes’ four seasons with the Clippers were the most he spent with any team. 

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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