Indiana Fever

Indiana fever star Caitlin Clark gushed about her experience watching the Kansas City Chiefs' 23-14 AFC divisional playoff victory over the Houston Texans alongside music icon Taylor Swift.

The 23-year-old shocked fans as she and Swift linked up in the suite to watch Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs. Clark described the experience as "incredible."

"We had so much fun, and honestly it was the perfect game," Clark said on the Swarmcast podcast (0:27 mark). "The Chiefs won, it was close at halftime, Travis scores a huge touchdown for the Chiefs, we ended up winning. There was nothing crazy that happened, and we felt confident as it got to the end."

Clark, a longtime Chiefs fan from Iowa—just three hours from Kansas City with family ties to the area—has also been a devoted Swiftie. She previously attended three shows during Swift's iconic Eras Tour.

"I'm a huge Chiefs fan. I've been a huge Chiefs fan and obviously Taylor is a huge Chiefs fan, too, so it was fun," Clark continued. "Getting to share that, I was like, 'Oh my God, I love this! She loves the Chiefs as much as me. Like, this is incredible!'"

Despite the fame Caitlin Clark has gained over the past few years, nothing prepared her for the feeling of being "starstruck" while spending time around Swift.

"Taylor is probably the most famous person in the world right now with what she has been able to do over the course of the last couple of years," Clark said. "Obviously her tour has been tremendous, but the way she has been able to unite people, I think, has been the most powerful thing. I think it's really cool and special."

The experience was entirely new for Clark, who noted that Swift had a way of making everyone feel at ease despite her superstar status.

"Taylor is very sweet and very kind, and it's just a good reminder that people in our position… we are very normal," Clark continued. "Sometimes our lives aren't normal, but we are very normal people, and we enjoy doing fun things, too.

Next on the list for the unlikely duo? Clark told Sean Gregory of Time that she received four bags of merchandise along with a personalized note from Swift, who called her "inspiring" and shared that she was "excited" to attend an Indiana Fever game in the future.

Caitlin Clark is already one of the faces of the WNBA at 23 years old, and she will soon have a signature Nike shoe and logo to match the fanfare surrounding her.

Nike CEO Elliott Hill told Devin Gordon of Fortune that the Indiana Fever star recently visited the company's headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, to further facilitate the development of that shoe.

"We had Caitlin Clark today," Hill said. "... We're working on her signature shoe that will launch, and we're working on her logo and that design."

Notably, Hill did not reveal an exact timeline for when that shoe and logo would be available.

Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star noted Clark is no stranger to Nike. The company sponsored her during her record-setting collegiate career at Iowa and then signed her to an eight-year, $28 million deal after she was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 WNBA draft.

Peterson also pointed out she will become just one of three active WNBA players with a signature Nike shoe when it is released. New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu and Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson are the other ones.

Notably, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese—who is often linked with Clark given their status as the league's two highest-profile rookie last season—will have a signature Reebok shoe released in 2026.

That Clark is getting a signature shoe and logo comes as no surprise, as she has been a household name since she set the NCAA Division I career scoring record for both men and women when she was with the Hawkeyes.

All she has done since is be the No. 1 pick in the draft, win Rookie of the Year, break the WNBA's single-season assist record and lead the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season.

She also brought unprecedented attention to the league as millions of fans watched her games on television and in attendance at different stadiums.

And those fans will soon have a new shoe to purchase.

An already bright future for the Indiana Fever got brighter Thursday.

That is because they announced plans for a new $78 million exclusive sports performance center that will be built in downtown Indianapolis. The plan is to begin construction on the three-story, 108,000-square-foot structure in August of this year and open it before the 2027 WNBA campaign:

Indiana's announcement explained "the center and amenities will be designed to address the specific needs of female athletes competing at the highest level, including performance and conditioning, recovery and rehabilitation, mental health and wellness, and lifestyle support."

That means it will include two regulation-sized courts, strength and conditioning equipment, a yoga area, a full-service kitchen, a private outdoor courtyard, a hair and nail salon, childcare space and even a podcast production studio.

What's more, it will feature spa-like amenities such as massage, float tanks, hydrotherapy pools, infrared light therapy, a sauna and more.

This development comes with the Fever under more of a spotlight than ever before after Caitlin Clark became the face of the franchise.

The all-time leading NCAA Division I scorer for men or women was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 WNBA draft and wasted no time announcing her presence in the league as the Rookie of the Year.

She also helped lead the Fever to the postseason for the first time since the 2016 campaign while setting the WNBA's all-time single-season assist record.

As if the on-court performances weren't enough, Clark helped drive more attention and popularity to the league as a whole. According to the Sports Business Journal, she appeared in 19 of the record 22 regular-season games that drew more than one million viewers.

Clark only figures to improve as she becomes more experienced in the WNBA, and she and her teammates will soon have a new performance center to help them in their pursuit of championships.

A Texas man has been charged with felony stalking after he allegedly sent "sent numerous threats and sexually charged messages" to Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, according to Michaela Springer of WISH-TV.

Michael Lewis, the suspect in question, traveled to Indianapolis from Texas. Authorities identified him through his IP address.

Katie Barnes of ESPN.com reported Judge Angela Davis entered a not guilty plea on Lewis' behalf on Tuesday. Lewis was held on $50,000 bail and ordered to not have any contact with Clark.

Lewis will have a pre-trial hearing on March 31.

According to Matt Christy of Fox 59, Lewis messaged Clark on X at one point to say he had "been driving around your house 3x a day." Christy wrote that Lewis was referring to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Fever's arena.

The WNBA Rookie of the Year told police she was fearful after receiving the messages and became concerned for her personal safety upon learning the suspect had traveled to Indianapolis. She went so far as to alter her appearance in public as a result of the threatening messages.

Prior to placing him into custody, police met with Lewis last week about the threats along with his presence in Indianapolis. He said he was in the city for a vacation and described his messages as a "fantasy-type thing," per Christy. Springer reported Lewis continued to send Clark messages even after speaking with local authorities.

The stalking charge is a Level 5 felony and carries a prison sentence of up to six years if a suspect is convicted.

The debate over the GOAT basketball shoe won't be settled anytime soon, but Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark made it clear where her allegiances lie.

During an appearance on New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce (1:08:56 mark), Clark declared that the late Kobe Bryant's signature line of sneakers is the GOAT basketball shoe in her eyes.

"I play in only Kobe's," Clark said. "Kobe's are my... I'm a big Kobe fan."

During practice for the WNBA All-Star Game this past season, Clark debuted the new Nike Kobe 6 PE sneakers. She also had a steady rotation of Kobe's during her first year as a professional in which she went on to set multiple records and be unanimously named WNBA Rookie of the Year.

When asked specifically which edition she likes, Clark named the Kobe 5 and the Kobe 6. She pointed out that they're low-tops, but she's not afraid of the danger of playing in them.

"But they look cool! And trust me, I sprained my ankles a thousand times, there's no stopping it anymore," Clark said.

Caitlin Clark knew she had her welcome to the WNBA moment when she suffered an injury to her ear against the New York Liberty early in her rookie season.

Appearing on the New Heights podcast (starts at 27:30 mark), Clark told Jason and Travis Kelce the moment came when she popped an eardrum trying to run through a screen on defense:

"We're playing in New York versus the Liberty, who ended up winning the championship this year. And somebody set a screen on me, and, like, I hit my ear like just perfect on the girl where like my eardrum popped and like ruptured. And I knew it right away because I'd done it before. ... It hurt so bad. I don't know if you guys have ever done that."

The incident happened in Clark's 11th game of the season with the Indiana Fever. It also turned out to be one of the worst games for both her and the team. She scored a season-low three points on 1-of-10 shooting in 29 minutes, as the Liberty beat Indiana 104-68.

Clark didn't miss any time as a result of the ear issue. She started all 40 games during her rookie campaign.

The loss to the Liberty was still at the point in the season when Clark and the Fever were figuring things out. They were 2-9 after the 36-point defeat, but would go on to win 18 of their final 29 games to finish with a .500 record.

Clark would redeem herself later in the year in the final meeting between the Fever and Liberty. She recorded the first triple-double by a rookie in WNBA history with 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in Indiana's 83-78 win over New York on July 6.

The Fever made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2016. Clark earned WNBA Rookie of the Year honors and finished fourth in MVP voting after averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Travis and Jason Kelce's New Heights podcast will soon experience the "Caitlin Clark Effect."

The show's X account teased Wednesday the Indiana Fever star's appearance, with Jason Kelce saying she's the "most requested guest in the history of our show."

Amanda Lucci of Women's Health shared a portion of Clark's appearance, which is slated for release Thursday.

Among other topics, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year recounted her college recruiting process, which began with receiving letters from interested schools when she was still in middle school.

"I feel very fortunate," Clark said (via Lucci). "They wanted me to be in seventh grade and enjoy middle school and hang out with [my] friends. Like, you shouldn't be worrying about where you're going to college."

Clark, a native of West Des Moines, Iowa, stayed close to home and signed with the Hawkeyes. She told the Kelces her family "did a really good job of making sure I have a good circle around me" throughout her recruitment.

Picking Iowa was ultimately a great call.

Clark was a two-time national player of the year and set a slew of individual records while guiding the Hawkeyes to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the NCAA tournament. She made a case to be one of the greatest players in women's basketball history.

Yet the story might have been much different if Clark was able to pursue what had been her original dream scenario.

The Hawkeyes legend told ESPN's Wright Thompson she, like many others of her generation, came to admire UConn growing up because of their consistent success on the hardwood. However, Huskies coach Geno Auriemma made little effort to sign her because he was focused instead on Paige Bueckers, who was also part of the 2020 class.

Imagine what a backcourt with Clark and Bueckers would've looked like.

The Indiana Fever dropped a 13-minute video showcasing superstar guard Caitlin Clark getting an individual workout in with the team's new coaching staff, led by head coach Stephanie White.

The exclusive video showcased Clark's first practice with White and her staff, which featured player development coach Keith Porter and assistant coaches Austin Kelly and Karima Christmas-Kelly.

Clark worked on her ball-handling and shooting in Salesforce Court, a practice facility within Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Fever and the NBA's Pacers.

The former Iowa Hawkeye just starred in her first professional season, averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds. She led Indiana to a 20-20 record and the team's first playoff appearance since 2016.

Now the Fever will be led by White, who just served as the Connecticut Sun's head coach for the past two seasons, going 55-25 and leading the team to a pair of semifinals appearances.

There's still five months remaining before the Fever's 2025 regular-season opener at home against the Chicago Sky on May 17, so White, her staff and Clark still have plenty of time to get acclimated. In the meantime, they've gotten a head start on offseason preparations as the Fever look to improve upon last year's promising season.

While Caitlin Clark was disappointed to miss out on the 2024 Summer Olympics, the Indiana Fever star wanted to earn a spot on Team USA on merit rather than any off-court benefits her presence would've yielded.

"I don't want to be there because I'm somebody that can bring attention," she said to Time's Sean Gregory. "I love that for the game of women's basketball. But at the same time, I want to be there because they think I'm good enough. I don't want to be some little person that is kind of dragged around for people to cheer about and only watch because I'm sitting on the bench.

"That whole narrative kind of upset me. Because that is not fair. It's disrespectful to the people that were on the team, that had earned it and were really good. And it's also disrespectful to myself. "

Clark's exclusion from the Olympic squad was a contentious call by USA Basketball.

The 6'0" guard had a legendary career at Iowa. She figures to be a fixture on the national team for a decade or more. Putting her on the roster promised even more attention toward Team USA thanks to her massive popularity. And there was precedent for a WNBA rookie making the cut (Candace Parker in 2008 and Breanna Stewart in 2016).

For all of those factors, a large outcry followed her omission.

Clark's performance across the second half of the season only intensified the sense of injustice. She went on to earn first-team All-WNBA honors and finish fourth in the MVP voting.

Still, it's again worth pointing out the evidence from which USA Basketball based its decision at the time.

When the roster was finalized in mid-June, Clark had averaged 16.8 points on 37.3 percent shooting along with 6.3 assists to 5.6 turnovers through 12 games. She simply wasn't performing at an elite level as she adjusted to life in the WNBA.

Thanks to Iowa reaching the 2024 Final Four, Clark also missed Team USA's training camp in April, which was a missed opportunity to showcase her skills directly in front of the coaching staff.

Just as USA Basketball had some compelling reasons to select the 22-year-old, leaving her off was a defensible call.

In the end, it worked out for everyone. The United States went on to win gold in Paris, and it probably wasn't a coincidence that Clark looked refreshed after getting to spend a few weeks not playing basketball.

Time named Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark its "Athlete of the Year" for 2024.

Clark had a debut season to remember. She was the WNBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists while helping lead the Fever to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

The 22-year-old also set a number of team and league records while earning All-Star and first-team All-WNBA honors.

Not to mention, Clark spent the first half of 2024 wrapping up her legendary career at Iowa. The Hawkeyes were the runners-up in the NCAA tournament for the second successive season, with the dynamic guard winning every major national player of the year award.

Getting named "Athlete of the Year" by Time is both a reflection of what Clark did on the court along with her impact on women's basketball as a whole.

The sport has been riding a wave for years now. Thanks in part to Clark, the momentum has crested in a big way.

The 2024 Final Four smashed viewership records. Iowa's semifinal and national championship games drew 14.4 million and 18.9 million viewers respectively. The trend carried over to the WNBA, which saw its television ratings and attendances spike.

Clark shouldered higher expectations than perhaps any rookie in WNBA history, and she managed to somehow exceed them. Fans are already waiting to see what she has as a follow-up in 2025.