LeBron James plays armchair GM for Fever on Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking night vs. Sky

David Suggs

•
LeBron James plays armchair GM for Fever on Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking night vs. Sky image

Caitlin Clark's impressive WNBA rookie campaign has captivated legions of basketball enthusiasts. Count LeBron James as one of them.

The Lakers megastar heaped praise on the Fever phenom Friday night, calling her "cold" after Clark dropped a career-high 31 points on 8-of-14 shooting to lead Indiana to a 100-81 victory over Angel Reese and the Sky.

Clark, who also added 12 assists (and just three turnovers), made quite the convincing argument as she attempts to win over the masses (of media members) and take home Rookie of the Year honors for 2024.

The 22-year-old guard weaved through Chicago head coach Teresa Witherspoon's defensive adjustments, finding space for herself and her teammates on numerous occasions. Whether from beyond the arc – Clark hit five of her nine 3-point attempts — or in the paint, Clark looked in control.

The Fever responded in kind, with Kelsey Mitchell (23 points), NaLyssa Smith (14 points, 7 rebounds) and Lexie Hull (11 points, 3-of-4 from 3-point range) all showing out en route to the victory.

MORE: How many points did Caitlin Clark score vs. Sky?

Amid her teammate's wondrous displays, Clark was the centerpiece. James, like many other fans watching on their television sets, took notice — and he shared his joy at watching Clark handle the rock to the 53 million people who follow him on X, the website formerly known as Twitter.

Like many of Clark's recent performances, Friday's represented not just a good game for the rookie but also WNBA history. With her 30-point, 12-assist stat line, Clark became the first player in league history to record such numbers in a single contest.

Clark also stands as one of five players ever to notch at least 30 points and 10 assists in a game. Of those five, just three did so in regulation, and Clark is one of them.

She also is the WNBA's all-time single-season leader in 20-point, 10-assist outings in a single season.

All of that is to say, Friday was a wonderful night in the office for Clark and her team. Nothing exemplified that more than the fact that it was Clark, not Reese, who received the loudest ovation of the night when she trotted off the floor. Did we mention that this was a road contest for Clark and Indiana?

Ever the show-woman, Clark embraced the chorus of noise that erupted around her when she traipsed to the bench in Chicago. Could you blame her?

For LeBron, Clark's exhibition wasn't just a glimpse of what she is and could be for the Fever. It also was an indication of just what the team needs to do to succeed with her.

In James' eyes, that centers around acquiring the services of a solid veteran, as he played the part of armchair general manager. Tina Charles, anyone? 

We were all witnesses to Clark's greatness on Friday night, even LeBron James. He was simply the highest-profile among us to comment on it.

WNBA playoff picture, standings

(As of Friday, Aug. 30)

RankTeamW-LWin Pct.GB
1.x-New York Liberty26-6.813—
2.x-Connecticut Sun22-8.7333
3.x-Minnesota Lynx23-9.7193
4.Seattle Storm19-11.6336
5.Las Vegas Aces18-12.6007
6.Indiana Fever16-16.50010
7.Phoenix Mercury16-16.50010
8.Chicago Sky11-20.35514.5
—Atlanta Dream10-20.33315
—Washington Mystics9-22.29016.5
—Dallas Wings9-22.29016.5
—Los Angeles Sparks7-24.22618.5

X: Clinched playoffs

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.