While the Fever camp is certainly ecstatic to have Caitlin Clark back, LeBron James may be just as excited.
After missing five games with a strained quad, Clark returned to the active roster on Saturday for a showdown against the Liberty.
The 2024 Rookie of the Year didn’t miss a beat in getting back into the game. Clark scored 32 points and also tallied eight rebounds and nine assists. She went 7-for-14 on 3-pointers and was a thorn in the Liberty’s side to deliver the defending champions their first loss of the season, 102-88, putting an end to their historic 9-0 start.
The four-time NBA champion took to X to put out his thoughts on the impressive performance comeback performance.
“The CC EFFECT!! WELCOME BACK! You were missed!” he posted.
James and Clark always been each other’s camps and defended one another when needed, dating back to Clark’s days at Iowa.
James has come to Clark’s defense on multiple occasions. He backed her when she was receiving criticism from veteran WNBA players prior to here entering the league, such as Diana Taurasi saying a “reality check” was on the way and Breanna Stewart saying that Clark would need a title in college to be considered an all-time great.
“If you don’t rock with Caitlin Clark game you’re just a FLAT OUT HATER!!!!!” James posted on X in April 2024. “Stay far away from them people!! PLEASE.”
Last August, he posted again as Clark dropped 31 points and 12 assists in a big win over the Sky, 100-81.
“CAITLIN CLARK!!!!! HI HATERS,” James posted on X.
Clark has also returned the favor and called James her NBA “GOAT” in an interview with David Letterman in April.
“LeBron is, like, the greatest player of all-time,” she said. “He’s still one of the best players, if not the best player in the world … It’s incredible what he’s done for the game of basketball and the way he’s carried himself. I’ve always been a fan of him.”
During Clark’s brief absence, the WNBA saw ratings go down 53 percent. Fever games averaged 1,810,000 viewers with Clark compared to 847,000 without her.
It’s safe to say James is locked in.
