The Iowa sky was streaked with gold as fans poured into Carver-Hawkeye Arena, their breath visible in the crisp spring air. It wasn’t a regular season night—technically, it wasn’t even a WNBA game. But to the thousands streaming through the doors, clutching signs and wearing #22 jerseys, it might as well have been the Finals.
Inside, the energy crackled. This was Caitlin Clark’s homecoming, her first game back in Iowa since becoming the most electrifying rookie in the WNBA. The Indiana Fever were facing Brazil’s national team in a preseason exhibition, but ticket prices told the real story: $440 on average, more than some NBA playoff games. The Caitlin Clark effect was in full force.
Caitlin could feel it as she laced up her shoes in the locker room. The familiar hum of the arena, the anticipation in the air—she thrived on it. She’d always loved the big moments, the pressure, the eyes of the world watching. Tonight, she was determined to put on a show.
From the opening tip, she did just that. Deep threes—her signature—splashed through the net, each one sending the crowd into a frenzy. She pushed the pace, threading passes through traffic, orchestrating the Fever offense like a maestro. Brazil was no pushover, but they quickly found themselves on their heels, scrambling to contain her.
On the sidelines, cameras flashed. Journalists from around the world scribbled notes, eyes wide. The Fever’s new coach, Stephanie White, smiled knowingly. She’d seen Caitlin’s fire in practice, but under the lights, it was something else entirely.
By halftime, Clark had already filled the stat sheet. The Fever led comfortably, and the arena buzzed with talk of a new era. Even the Brazilian players, tough and proud, found themselves sneaking glances at the rookie. After one particularly audacious three-pointer, a Brazilian guard shook her head and grinned. “She’s unreal,” she whispered to a teammate.
But not everyone was ready to join the chorus of praise.
In the press row sat Roberta Rodriguez, a Brazilian sports journalist known for her sharp takes and fierce loyalty to her home team. She’d covered basketball from Rio to Madrid, and she prided herself on seeing through hype. As the game slipped away from Brazil, Roberta’s fingers flew across her phone, live-tweeting in Portuguese and English.
After the final buzzer, as the Fever celebrated their win, Roberta posted her analysis: “Not surprised Brazil struggled. They played Chicago Sky last night, then traveled all morning. Tired legs, tough environment. Let’s not overhype a preseason win.”
Her tweet was picked up and translated, spreading quickly through basketball circles. Some agreed—travel is brutal, preseason is preseason. But many bristled at the implication that Caitlin’s performance was anything less than remarkable.
Back in the locker room, Caitlin scrolled through her mentions. Most were congratulatory, but a few referenced Roberta’s tweet. “Brazil was tired, that’s all,” one read. “Don’t get too excited.”
She frowned. She’d watched the Brazil-Chicago game on film. Brazil had been dancing, hitting logo threes, playing with joy and confidence. There’d been no sign of fatigue then. Why bring it up now?
That night, as she lay in her hotel room, Caitlin replayed the game in her mind. She remembered the Brazilian players asking for selfies and autographs after the final buzzer. They’d laughed, shared stories, told her she was changing the game. She respected them—knew how hard it was to travel, to play back-to-back games. But she also knew what she’d seen on the court: a Fever team that had played the night before too, that had traveled just as far, that had simply outplayed their opponent.
The next morning, the debate exploded online. Fans from Iowa to São Paulo weighed in. Some accused Roberta of making excuses for her team. Others argued that context mattered, that travel and fatigue were real factors. A Fever fan pointed out, “Wait, wasn’t Indiana the team coming off an overtime back-to-back? Shouldn’t they be the tired ones?”
Roberta, for her part, doubled down. In an interview with a Brazilian sports site, she said, “I respect Caitlin Clark, she’s a great player. But let’s not pretend preseason games are the same as the playoffs. Brazil was tired, that’s a fact. The real test will come when everyone’s fresh.”
Caitlin was asked about the controversy at practice. She paused, choosing her words carefully. “I have nothing but respect for Brazil. They’re a great team. But we played last night too. We traveled too. At this level, everyone’s dealing with something. You show up, you compete, and you let the game speak for itself.”
Her coach, Stephanie White, was more direct. “Excuses don’t win games. Caitlin played her heart out, and so did our team. That’s all that matters.”
The Fever’s next game sold out in minutes. National TV picked up nearly every game on their schedule—93% of them, more than even the Lakers. The Caitlin Clark effect was real, and the league knew it.
For Roberta, the story became a lesson in the power of narratives. She received messages from Brazilian fans defending her, but also from American fans challenging her objectivity. She watched as young girls in São Paulo posted videos of themselves shooting deep threes, tagging Caitlin Clark. She realized, grudgingly, that the rookie was inspiring a new generation—on both sides of the hemisphere.
As the WNBA season tipped off, the Fever continued to draw record crowds. Clark’s highlights dominated social media, and her jersey became a best-seller worldwide. But she never forgot the lesson from that night: every game mattered, every performance was scrutinized, and every narrative could be twisted.
One day, after a tough road win, Caitlin spotted Roberta in the postgame scrum. She walked over, offered a handshake, and smiled. “Hope you enjoyed the game,” she said.
Roberta smiled back, notebook in hand. “You’re making it hard not to.”
And in that moment, the rookie and the reporter understood each other—not as rivals, but as two people who loved the game, each pushing it forward in their own way.
ESPN captures special interaction between Caitlin Clark, Brazil coach
During Sunday’s nationally televised preseason game from Iowa City, ESPN captured a special interaction between Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Brazilian coach Leo Figueiro as the two spoke during a stoppage of play.
Clark, who won the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year Award in 2024 after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA draft by Indiana, spent four years playing on the very same Carver-Hawkeye Arena court where Sunday’s exhibition game took place.
During her time with the Hawkeyes, Clark powered Iowa to back-to-back national title game appearances in 2023 and 2024 while finishing her career as the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer with 3,951 points on 46.2% from the field, 37.7% from 3-point range, and 85.8% from the free-throw line.
In her much-anticipated return to the Carver-Hawkeye Arena floor that she once called home, Clark and the Brazil national team coach, Leo Figueiro, spoke briefly, where he gave his congratulations and said she has changed the history of basketball.
While the Fever blew out Brazil by a 108-44 final score, Figueiro’s comments speak volumes on the far-reaching impact Clark has had on the sport of basketball both professionally and collegiately, and has vaulted her into one of the most influential athletes in the world.
Clark would finish her night with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-10 from the field, including 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, six rebounds, five assists, and one block in 19 minutes of action.
While Indiana has one more WNBA preseason game left vs. the Atlanta Dream in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, May 10, Clark and the Fever are poised to make a serious run at capturing the franchise’s second WNBA title and first championship since 2012.
The Fever open their 2025 WNBA regular season on May 17, when Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky visit Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. That game will begin at 2 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on ABC, ESPN+ and Disney+.
