“She’s Only Getting Started”: Ionescu & Stewart Shower Caitlin Clark with Rare Praise After Fever’s Statement Win

Indianapolis, IN — The Indiana Fever didn’t just win a basketball game Monday night — they made a statement. And so did Caitlin Clark.

In what may go down as one of the most defining performances of her young WNBA career, Clark dropped 34 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds to lead the Fever to a commanding 91–73 victory over the powerhouse New York Liberty. But what truly stole the headlines wasn’t just the box score — it was what happened after the buzzer.

Two of the league’s most respected stars — Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart — took the podium not to vent about the loss, but to praise the rookie who dismantled them.

“She’s special,” said Ionescu, pausing as if to consider the weight of the words. “She’s got incredible range, but it’s not just her shooting. Her ability to read the game and set up her teammates — that’s elite stuff. You can’t teach that kind of vision.”

Coming from Ionescu, who was once dubbed the “future of the league” herself, that’s no small compliment.

A Star Among Stars

Breanna Stewart, a two-time WNBA champion and league MVP, didn’t mince words either.

“You can tell she’s put in the work,” Stewart said. “She’s fearless, and she’s learning fast. It’s great for the league to have young players come in and elevate the level of competition. What she did tonight — that was greatness on display.”

In a sport where competitive egos run high and praise for opponents is often measured at best, such open admiration — especially after a tough loss — was as rare as it was revealing.

And maybe that’s what makes Clark different.

Beyond the Numbers

The numbers speak volumes: 34 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and a shooting clinic from beyond the arc that kept the Liberty defense scrambling.

But it was the how that left both fans and opponents stunned.

Clark hit deep threes like they were layups. She attacked transition opportunities with poise. She directed traffic like a seasoned point guard, reading double teams and carving up one of the league’s most disciplined defenses.

“She makes you stay locked in every second,” said Ionescu. “If you take one play off, she makes you pay. That’s the mark of a great one.”

And Clark did it all with a calm demeanor and relentless focus that belied her rookie status.

A Torch Passing Moment?

There are nights when a game feels like more than a game — when a single performance signals a shift in era, energy, and expectation. Monday night felt like one of those nights.

For years, the Liberty have been among the faces of the league’s new generation, led by big names, All-Stars, Olympians. But Caitlin Clark isn’t just the next big name — she might already be the name.

“She’s only getting started,” Stewart concluded. “The WNBA is better with her in it.”

For a league that has seen its share of promising prospects come and go, Clark’s rise feels different. It’s not just the shooting. It’s the command. The leadership. The belief she inspires — in fans, in teammates, and, evidently, even in her rivals.

Fever Heating Up

For Indiana, the win was more than just revenge for previous losses — it was a declaration of arrival.

The Fever, a franchise long buried in rebuilding seasons and draft lottery hopes, now looks like a team on the verge of something bigger. And it starts — and ends — with Clark.

Her chemistry with fellow rookies and veterans alike has started to blossom. The ball movement is sharper. The defense tighter. The body language unmistakably different. There’s belief.

Clark herself remained humble, as always.

“I’m just doing my job,” she said postgame. “My teammates trust me, and I trust them. We’re starting to find our identity, and I’m proud of the way we played tonight.”

League Respect, Earned Early

Respect in the WNBA isn’t handed out. It’s earned through consistency, toughness, and showing up when the lights are brightest. And for a rookie to earn the respect of someone like Breanna Stewart or Sabrina Ionescu — let alone both — says everything about what Caitlin Clark is building.

“She’s not afraid of the moment,” said ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike. “You can’t teach that kind of composure under pressure. She was built for this.”

And it’s not just fellow players who are taking notice. Around the league, front offices and coaching staffs are already reshaping scouting reports, adjusting schemes, and wondering how to slow down a player who seems to be improving every game.

Bigger Than Basketball

Clark’s impact is also being felt off the court. Ticket sales for Fever road games are surging. TV ratings spike when she plays. Young girls show up to arenas in her Iowa jersey, her WNBA jersey, or just anything with her name on it.

And then there’s the locker room.

“She leads by example,” said Fever head coach Christie Sides. “She wants to win more than anything. That energy, that intensity — it spreads. And it’s raising the level of everyone around her.”

The Pressure, and the Poise

From the moment Clark was drafted, the spotlight has never left her. Every game is dissected. Every shot analyzed. Every postgame quote turned into a headline.

And yet, she’s handled it with a poise that feels decades beyond her age.

“She doesn’t run from the pressure,” Stewart noted. “She embraces it.”

Still, Clark doesn’t let the praise distract her.

“I’ve got a lot to learn,” she said. “But I’ve got great people around me, and we’re just trying to get better every day.”

What Comes Next

As the Fever climb back into playoff contention, the league’s veterans — and even its most skeptical voices — are beginning to accept a new reality: Caitlin Clark isn’t just a “promising rookie.”

She’s the real deal.

She’s the face of a franchise.

She might even be the future face of the league.

And on nights like this, when even her toughest competitors stop to applaud, the message rings loud and clear:

Caitlin Clark has arrived. And she’s already changing the game.