Caitlin Clark is all-in on Indianapolis, meeting with Indiana Pacers legend Metta Sandiford-Artest, previously known as Ron Artest, at the team’s first-round NBA playoff game Friday.
The No. 1 pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft became a prized arrival for the Indiana Fever , the city’s WNBA franchise, earlier in April. She watched as Tyrese’s Halliburton's overtime and-one pushed the Pacers past Milwaukee 121-118 in Game 3.
“It was pretty awesome,” Clark said on attending the game. “What was it, their [the Pacers] first home game in five years? So pretty awesome, and we had a pretty good view of Tyrese’s game winner because we were directly behind the other basket. So pretty fun, good little team bonding experience and hopefully they get another win tonight.”
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Clark’s arrival in Indianapolis was met with tremendous fanfare , as a sellout crowd piled into Gainbridge Fieldhouse to watch her selection in New York live and another swarm of fans turned up as Clark touched down in the city for the first time. The superstar has her own ties to the city with boyfriend Connor McCaffery, an Iowa star on the men’s side, who has been working as a team assistant.
The NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, Clark has repaid the city’s passion after her draft selection, making an appearance at the Pacers’ Game 3 matchup and firing up the crowd by revving a replica Indy 500 race car at the arena. Prior to the game, however, the Pacers’ social media account showcased Clark speaking with NBA legend and former Defensive Player of the Year Sandiford-Artest, known as Ron Artest during much of his playoff career.
Peace only played four seasons of his near 20-year NBA career in Indianapolis, most famously involving himself in the infamous ‘Malice at the Palace’ during that stretch. But Peace also played some of the best basketball of his career with the Pacers, averaging 24.5 points a night during his last full season in the Hoosier State.
The Queens native has also been a prominent supporter of Clark online prior to their meeting, advocating that Clark should be earning well over her $75,000 salary.
“I’m going to play Devil’s advocate on the Caitlin Clark situation,” Sandiford-Artest said on his YouTube channel earlier in April. “I’m not too happy about the $75,000. Now granted, she’s going to make a ton of money off the court — I want to give her $1 million from one of my own brands. And I’m not going to turn my nose at $75,000, but not for Caitlin Clark.”
Aside from her outing at the Pacers game, however, Clark’s has kept an intentionally low-profile since arriving in Indianapolis. Her focus has instead been on her preparing her body for the upcoming WNBA season, which begins with a preseason game in Dallas on Friday.
“I do a lot of recovery, get my legs right and relax,” Clark said about her routine in Monday’s media availability. “[I] just have a quiet presence about me, I mean I don't really go out in public much, [I] watch movies, I brought my PS5 with me…. and I’ve taken a few naps, that’s about it.”
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