Aces' Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young Show Caitlin Clark Love

Robin Lundberg | Jul 3, 2024

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The tide may have turned when it comes to Caitlin Clark's WNBA welcoming. Because just days after league legend Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury was effusive in her praise for Clark, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces also showed the Indiana Fever rookie noticeable respect.

This Kelsey Plum and Caitlin Clark moment at the end of tonight's game 😂pic.twitter.com/qBapQI6EpS

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) July 3, 2024

After the Aces beat the Fever, Kelsey Plum, who dropped 34 points, had a playful exchange with Clark near mid-court. The pair shared a hug in front of the 20,000+ fans in attendance, as the game was moved to T-Mobile Arena to accommodate demand. The Aces typically play at Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay, which holds about 12,000.

There was another moment between Clark and an Aces player that was noticed by viewers during the game. Clark went down when driving toward the lane early in the first quarter and Jackie Young appeared to intentionally tie her shoe in an effort to give Caitlin time to recover.

Loved this vet move from Jackie Young at the beginning of the game

She bends down to tie her shoe intentionally to give Caitlin time to get up and make sure she’s good 🥹 pic.twitter.com/ySOsHhJB8d

— Bri Lewerke (@brilewerke) July 3, 2024

The gestures from the Aces and Olympics teammates were in stark contrast to some of the discourse surrounding Clark's rookie campaign earlier in the season. With Caitlin noting that she doesn't receive any advice from opposing veterans.

The energy seems to have shifted however and Clark was quick to point out how cool the atmosphere was in Vegas. "Obviously, they're always excited, but tonight it just felt very different. There were just mobs of people watching us warm up. It's super cool to be a part of. I hope everybody enjoyed it. And also, I hope everybody saw how good the Aces are. Their fans show up and are incredible."