June 22, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Image Playing for the first time since July 15 after recovering from two injuries, Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark impressed in her debut for the United States, scoring 17 points and 12 assists in a 110-64 win over Senegal on Wednesday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Clark, who was sidelined last summer due to a right groin ailment and left ankle bone contusion, made 4 of 5 shots (all 3-point attempts) in 19 minutes in the opening game of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
“I thought I was going to be nervous, but I was just excited,” Clark told reporters. “I’ve been preparing for this for a really long time. … There’s nothing like being out there running around and having fun, especially with such talented people. It came to me pretty quickly, especially when I got the first three.”
Clark, who had not played since July 15 and finally stopped playing due to a fever in September, mostly rehabbed away from Indiana. While at Team USA camp last December, she said she felt 100% but couldn’t put a time limit on when she would be back on the court.
It didn’t take long for her to feel comfortable, checking in midway through the opening quarter and earning assists on three straight offensive plays.
“She uses dynamic play on offense,” said U.S. coach Kara Lawson. “As much as she’s a dynamic scorer, she’s also one of the most dynamic playmakers in the world. So we talked about her taking advantage of all the talent (around her). This is the most talented team she’s ever played on. … I thought she transitioned between playmaking and scoring really well.”
Along with Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers made their national team debuts against Senegal. Reese scored 6 points and 8 rebounds in 18 minutes as a starter, while Bueckers scored 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists in 14 minutes off the bench.
Team USA has already qualified for the FIBA World Cup in Germany in September, but has four more games scheduled during qualifying.
–Field level media
