The WNBA is pulling out all the stops as it tries to make the opening week of the 2026 season memorable by having the Indiana Fever face off against the Dallas Wings. The biggest story here is Caitlin Clark, who will see WNBA regular-season action for the first time since July of last year.
Clark, the biggest name in women’s basketball, suffered a season-ending injury that caused her to miss the latter part of the season and the Fever’s postseason run.
She is back like she never left. She emerged as arguably the second-best player on Team USA during its FIBA World Cup Qualifiers sweep last March and played significant minutes during their pre-season assignments. The Fever battled Nigeria national basketball in their last pre-season game, where she scored 12 points.
Current and future superstars will face off this weekend. The Wings boasts the last two No. 1 picks — Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers — and for Clark, their weekend encounter only represents the league’s rising talent level.
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"It’s crazy. Actually, in that game, the last four No. 1 picks will be playing. So I don’t know how many times that’s ever happened," Clark said in an exclusive interview with Athlon Sports senior writer Kyle Wood.
"Obviously, with me and my teammate (Aliyah Boston), and then Azzi and Paige, so pretty cool dynamic, and I think it just speaks to the excitement of the players in our league. Obviously, the talent level that has been coming in, and I think it should be a really great game."
The Fever and the Wings faced off in the preseason, with the former losing by 15 points. Clark did not finish the game after an injury scare. The 2024 Rookie of the Year said she expects a different game come Saturday now that they will be playing in front of their home fans.
As for her injury, she dismissed concerns about it after returning to full practice a few days ago. Her leg sleeve drew attention, but she and coach Stephanie White downplayed it, saying it was just for style.
Clark smilingly told reporters that the sleeve was simply “compression on the leg.”
