When the Indiana Fever selected Raven Johnson 10th overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft, her relationship with superstar guard Caitlin Clark quickly became a major talking point. After all, the two have had some unpleasant history against each other.
For those unaware, Johnson previously shared that she almost quit basketball after her viral moment with Clark during the 2023 NCAA tournament. When the Iowa Hawkeyes faced the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four, Clark infamously waved off Johnson, who was wide open from the 3-point line.
The video of the play trended online, causing Johnson to get "bashed" and "bullied."
"That's the one reason why I hate the Internet now, because of that situation," Johnson told I AM ATHLETE. "Like, I got bashed, I got bullied. I got called all these things that I wasn't … I wanted to quit basketball at that time. I wanted to just go into this little bubble of isolation and just be by myself."
Years have passed since the incident, and now that they are teammates, both Johnson and Clark have moved on from the controversy. The two now share the same goal of winning a championship with Indiana, and the Fever All-Star is making sure to guide her rookie as she transitions to the pros.
"Caitlin Clark was helping me through all the hard times," Johnson said of Clark during the Fever's training camp. "She was helping me. I was like, 'What do I do here?' or 'Where should I cut?' I was asking her a lot of questions. … I think I asked her probably like 1,000 questions yesterday."
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
On Wednesday, Clark and Johnson's relationship took the spotlight once again. The Fever posted several photos of the two joking around, with Clark seemingly letting Johnson chase her.
Another photo showed Johnson hugging Clark, while the All-Star guard was making a funny face.
Naturally, the post turned a lot of heads, with many loving the interaction between the two. Fans also highlighted that the concerns about Clark and Johnson potentially not getting along well because of their history should be put to rest now.
"And people tried to say these two would hate each other for some reason," a commenter wrote. Another one said, "I love CC and Raven for rising above the noise. They both are women of great character and that should be celebrated! GO FEVER!"
"We love to prove a narrative wrong over here in Indy!! Fever girls!!!" a poster added.
A fan shared, "They’re both ruining all the naysayers in one post … love it.."
"Looks like Raven is goofy like CC, think they will do great on this team. Go Fever!!!" a supporter stated.
A sixth social media user posted, "This friendship is going to be amazing."
Johnson is expected to be Clark's backup this 2026 season. She has proven to be a capable guard, dropping six points, three rebounds, eight assists, one steal and two blocks in her preseason debut against the New York Liberty.
As Clark and Johnson continue to improve their chemistry, the Fever's backcourt should benefit even more.
