It took Caitlin Clark only three minutes and 18 seconds on Wednesday to return to her scoring ways. After missing five games with a groin injury, Clark sank a midrange jumper for her first points of the Indiana Fever's Camp Day showdown with the Golden State Valkyries at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
As expected, Clark and her buckets were greeted warmly by Indiana fans. Though Clark's statistics -- 18.2 points, 8.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game -- remain All Star-caliber, the star guard's sophomore year in the WNBA has been a bit bumpy.
Clark has dealt with injuries to her groin and her left quadriceps, which have cost her nine games. She was unable to play last Tuesday when the Fever stunned the Minnesota Lynx to win the Commissioner's Cup. And she had to watch as an opposing player on Wednesday received a thunderous ovation from the Fever faithful.
This wasn't just any opposing player, though. Indiana fans were applauding Kate Martin, the Valkyries' sharpshooting guard who played alongside Clark at the University of Iowa.
Kate Martin gets a big ovation in her introduction here in Indy pic.twitter.com/mZTtnoUKPf
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) July 9, 2025
Left unprotected in December's expansion draft, Martin joined the Valkyries from the Las Vegas Aces. Martin is enjoying a breakout season with Golden State; entering Wednesday's game, she is averaging 7.4 points in 17.5 minutes per game, while shooting 34.8 percent from 3-point range.
MORE: WNBA schedule today: Why Fever, Valkyries, other games start early on Wednesday's 'Camp Day'
In five years at Iowa, Martin averaged 8.0 points per game, including a personal-best 13.1 points during her final season in 2023-24. Along the way, she became one of Clark's best friends, a bond that has carried over to the WNBA.
So while it is unusual that Martin received an ovation in a road arena on Wednesday, it goes to show the expanse of Clark's influence: if a player is Clark's friend, she's a friend to Indiana's fans, too.
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