Cameras Caught Caitlin Clark’s Savage Message to Wings Player Trying to Defend Her

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever fell to the Dallas Wings in their 2026 WNBA season-opener. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

In Caitlin Clark’s first official WNBA game since last July, the Indiana Fever stumbled in their season-opener against the Dallas Wings, falling 107-104 in a thrilling showdown between the last four No. 1 picks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Clark and Aliyah Boston battled against Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, with the latter duo coming out on top as the Wings set a franchise record for most points scored in a season-opening game.

The Fever were trailing for most of the fourth quarter, but Clark had a glorious chance to tie the game on the penultimate possession. After juking out Bueckers, Clark got a wide open look from downtown but narrowly missed her three-point attempt. The Fever had one more opportunity to tie it with about a second remaining and put the ball in the hands of Kelsey Mitchell, who hit front iron on her deep three and couldn’t get the shot to fall.

Despite starting their season with a disappointing loss, the Fever’s offense was on full display on Saturday afternoon, and that includes Clark. The third-year guard finished with 20 points, five rebounds and seven assists on 7-of-18 shooting while going just 2-of-9 from beyond the arc. She got hot at the beginning of the second half, reaching her 1,000-point WNBA career milestone in the coolest way possible.

With roughly four and a half minutes left in the game, Clark was clearly feeling herself and drove into the paint to try and score a tough bucket. She dribbled her way into some contact with Wings’ Aziaha James, who fell onto the court appealing for a charge (it would have been Clark’s fifth foul of the game). Instead, James was called for a blocking foul.

Afterward, ESPN’s cameras zoomed in on Clark who appeared to tell James, “Flopping all f---ing day.”

“Flopping all f*cking day.”

Caitlin Clark to Aziaha James after this play 👀pic.twitter.com/phtrrh7gY5

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 9, 2026

Clark’s emotions were probably higher than usual given that it was her team’s season-opener, and James had previously drawn two successful charges on the Fever star earlier in the contest.

But it was James and the rest of the Wings who ultimately got the last laugh in their thrilling first game of the season—Arike Ogunbowale led the way with 22 points followed by Paige Bueckers and Odyssey Sims, who put up 20 points a piece. Fudd, in her WNBA regular-season debut, recorded just three points and one rebound in 17 minutes and was notably not included in the starting lineup.

The Fever will try to get their first win in 2026 against the Sparks on Wednesday, while the Wings—who finished with a pitiful 10-34 record last season—can give themselves a well-deserved pat on the back as they kick off what could be a huge bounce-back campaign for Bueckers, Fudd and co.

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