Caitlin Clark impressed in her FIBA World Cup debut with Team USA, drawing strong praise from her Indiana Fever head coach and USA assistant coach Stephanie White.
Clark finished with 14 points and 11 assists, with zero turnovers, in Team USA’s 94-61 win over China in its World Cup opener. The Fever star made history in the process, becoming the first player to record at least 10 assists in a game without committing a single turnover.
The 24-year-old playmaker also broke Alyssa Thomas’ record for the most assists in a single game in a Team USA player’s World Cup debut. She was eventually named Player of the Game.
Making her performance even more remarkable, Clark came off the bench for Team USA. Head coach Kara Lawson opted to start Chelsea Gray at point guard, with Clark serving as her primary backup.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
On Saturday, White talked about Clark’s performance, highlighting the fact that Clark is clearly at full health once again.
“It’s like you see what she’s doing when she’s healthy,” White said, according to Jenna Black of the Indianapolis Star. “You know when she’s healthy, her body feels good. I thought her facilitating was outstanding. You know, the way that she came in and moved the ball. I thought her defense was excellent. When she’s on the floor, pace changes, too, and I thought it was really good.”
For what it’s worth, White was not the only one to heap praise on Clark for her performance. Lawson herself called the Fever star “terrific,” especially because of how she changed the “tempo of the game.”
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