Caitlin Clark sets WNBA historic 45-point, 10-assist mark
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark delivered a WNBA historic performance Friday night, becoming the first player in league history to record a 45-point, 10-assist double-double as Indiana beat the Seattle Storm 110-107 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, sealing the win with a clutch late three. The career night set a franchise scoring mark and capped a fourth-quarter surge while Clark was still managing a back injury.
Key Takeaways
- Clark became the first WNBA player with a 45-point, 10-assist double-double.
- Her 45 points set an Indiana Fever franchise record and came in under 30 minutes.
- Kelsey Mitchell added 30 points, making Fever teammates the first duo with 40 and 30 in one game.
- NBA star LeBron James shared love for Clark on Instagram after the historic outing.
What made Caitlin Clark's night a WNBA historic performance?
According to ESPN, Clark finished with 45 points and 10 assists — a combination no WNBA player had ever posted. She also became the first player in league history to score 45 points in fewer than 30 minutes.
Clark hit six 3-pointers and became the fastest player to reach 200 career threes, doing so in 74 games. It was her fourth career game with at least 30 points and 10 assists; only four other such games exist in league history.
She went 17-for-19 from the free-throw line, added four steals and two blocks, and said beforehand she felt it would be "one of those" nights. For more viral sports moments reshaping culture online, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.
How did the Fever finish off the Storm?
Seattle led 88-82 after three quarters. Clark scored 16 points in the fourth, including a step-back three from 32 feet that pushed her to a then-career-high 38 and cut the deficit to one.
With the score tied and 39.1 seconds left, she drained a go-ahead three from 26 feet after a defensive scramble. A prior block on Flau'jae Johnson helped set up that shot. Indiana never trailed again in the 110-107 win.
All-Star teammate Kelsey Mitchell scored 17 in the first quarter and finished with 30, her franchise-record ninth straight game with 20-plus points. Dominique Malonga led Seattle with 28 points and 14 rebounds as the Storm set a franchise mark for points in a regulation loss.
Who noticed Clark's career night — and what comes next?
Fever coach Stephanie White called the outing "incredible" and "special," saying she looked at the box score and saw "45 and 10." Center Makayla Timpson, starting for injured Aliyah Boston, simply called it "greatness."
Clark had been on a minutes restriction after a back injury, averaging about 25 minutes in her previous two games. She still vowed she would "play with one leg" down the stretch and said she intends to play the next night against the New York Liberty.
Fox News reported that LeBron James showed love on his Instagram story Saturday, resharing a highlight package of Clark's best plays from the game. The NBA star and Fever guard have publicly supported each other since her Iowa days.
"I still feel like I can play better," Clark said afterward, already looking ahead to another tough test.