Women's Fastbreak On SI

Fever Fans Salivating Over Mystics Preseason Game After Owner's Caitlin Clark Comment

Indiana Fever fans could not be happier about the two teams Caitlin Clark gets to play in the 2025 preseason.
Grant Young|
Nov 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark attends the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark attends the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

One of the biggest storylines within the women's basketball community last week was Washington Mystics co-owner Sheila Johnson declaring that Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark should not have been placed on Time magazine cover alone when speaking with CNN Sports on December 13.

"We have so much talent out there that has been unrecognized. And I don't think we can just pin it on one player,” Johnson said.

"[On Tuesday], you read Time Magazine, where Caitlin Clark was named Athlete of the Year. Why couldn't they have put the whole WNBA on that cover and said 'The WNBA is the League of the Year', because of all the talent we have?

“Because when you just keep singling out one player, it creates hard feelings," she added.

Johnson has received a ton of criticism from the media and WNBA fanbase for these comments. While discussion surrounding her words simmered down over the weekend, it returned to top of mind among Fever fans on Tuesday.

The Fever's social media accounts announced their team's 2025 WNBA preseason schedule. The first preseason game they play is at home against Johnson's Washington Mystics.

Fever fans are noting the irony of their team starting the 2025 campaign against the Mystics in the wake of Johnson's comments.

"Not the mystics being first lol 🤭," wrote X user Vanshay Murdock.

Another fan added, "Us playing the mystics first??? Caitlin go do something for me real quick…".

"Mystics first? CC bout to drop at least 40 on they head even though it's preseason 😭," wrote a third.

It's also worth noting that the Fever's other preseason game is against the Atlanta Dream, whose part-owner Renee Montgomery was under fire back in September for trying to expose Clark's fanbase for their treatment of Angel Reese during an episode of her "Montgomery & Company" podcast.

The Fever's two-game preseason slate appears to be be a revenge tour for Clark's fans.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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