Caitlin Clark Sets the Wrong Kind of Record in Her WNBA Debut

Caitlin Clark set a record on Tuesday in her first regular-season WNBA game—just not the kind the rookie sensation was hoping for.

The Indiana Fever guard notched 10 turnovers, the most in a debut game in league history.

She did notch a solid 20 points—a team high that made her just the third WNBA player to score 20 or more in their first game—though she was slow to start and turned in a much worse-than-expected 5-for-15 from the field as the Fever fell to the Connecticut Sun 92-71.

Much of her troubles came in the first half, where she got into foul trouble early and failed to score until late in the second quarter. She was covered well the entire game by Connecticut standout DiJonai Carrington, who offered Clark scant opportunities to get off an uncontested shot.

This season’s No. 1 draft pick appeared to be upset as she exited the court following the first half, and was caught on camera talking animatedly with teammate Aliyah Boston on their way to the locker room.

After halftime Clark seemed to find her rhythm a bit more, however, knocking down three of her four 3-point attempts and scoring 13 points.

This season’s No. 1 draft pick acknowledged Tuesday morning before the game that she may not be able to continue the sort of total domination she became known for during her time at the University of Iowa, where she set the NCAA scoring record and became the face of women’s basketball, as she transitions to the much-tougher professional circuit.

After the game she struck a similar tone, acknowledging that it’s still incredibly early in her rookie season—and that she’s got time to learn.

“Disappointed and nobody likes to lose, that’s how it is,” Clark said. “Can’t beat yourself up too much about one game.”

ESPN reported that Tuesday’s season opener, held at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena, had an atmosphere more typical of a playoffs or even a WNBA Finals game, as thousands of fans turned out to see Clark play. The stadium also saw its first home opener sellout in more than 20 years—and only the second in franchise history, after the team’s first game.

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