Indiana Fever fans Cari Hall and her daughter Libby ventured all the way from Missouri to Footprint Center in Phoenix to watch rookie sensation Caitlin Clark "play basketball."
It was a jam-packed arena with a playoff atmosphere for Clark's first game competing against the Mercury, and the star Clark called the "greatest scorer ever" — Diana Taurasi.
The Caitlin Clark effect did not escape the national telecast, either. ESPN's Mark Jones underscored the excitement at the top of his broadcast.
"Folks, this is the hottest ticket in Phoenix since Meg Thee Stallion played here in the Footprint Center about 10 days ago," said Jones, deciding to shorten the performer's first name. "If you're looking for a ticket, it's going to hurt your pocket."
Members of the X-factor and Clark fans around the nation couldn't resist. The sellout crowd (17,071 rowdy fans) packed Footprint to the brim and made their voices heard for what they knew would be a heavyweight clash between two of the biggest names in the history of women's basketball in Clark and Taurasi.
Showdown:Caitlin Clark finishes one rebound shy of triple-double, leads Fever past Phoenix Mercury
The most common jersey in the crowd at Footprint was tied between a #22 Fever and a #22 University of Iowa jersey. Clark fans were making a takeover in the Valley.
Fever fan David Wolf was so eager to see the first-time battle in person that he took the trip over on the I-10 from Houston, Texas. He said it was a "no-brainer."
"I'm dying to see it," Wolf said. "I have been following Caitlin for two or three years now. I hope Diana eats her words."
Taurasi's message was simple. To the influx of sensational rookies coming into the WNBA, spearheaded by Clark, Taurasi simply said that "reality is coming." And the first-ever meet-up between the two-star guards' delivered.
Clark narrowly missed a triple-double, posting a 15-9-12 stat line, and Taurasi scored 19 points in the Fever's 88-82 comeback win against the Mercury.
B.J. Bosier, a long-time Mercury fan, traveled from Northern Arizona with her girlfriend to watch Clark compete. She's followed the WNBA since its inception and has been a fan of Taurasi since the Mercury drafted the UConn standout in 2004. She said Clark has taken her interest in the sport to a whole other level but resents the controversy that seemingly follows the talented rookie wherever she goes.
"I think the controversy sucks," Bosier said. "I feel like I have a lot of thoughts about it, but I don't know what direction anything's coming from, you know, I don't know her personally. I think she handles it amazing. I wish she was running for president."
Yvette Cantu and her girlfriend Audrey Hicks are both from the Valley but entered Footprint Center with different allegiances. On Cantu's birthday Saturday, she received tickets for Sunday's Mercury-Fever game, with one hope: to see Clark knock down a 3-pointer from "Clarksville."
"It's my Christmas," Cantu said. "It's like my Christmas gift because it's the only game they are going to play here."
Hicks was there to see her hometown team dominate and walk out of the arena with a win, especially with the Clark takeover from opposing fans at Footprint.
"I want to see them kick ass. I want to see them kick ass," Hicks said. "I want to see them work together and get their rebounds. I want to see them take those shots. Because, you know, there's a lot of people here for the other team."
There's a strong chance Sunday's game won't be the Valley's last opportunity to watch Clark, with the 2024 WNBA All-Star game slated to take place July 20 at Footprint Center. However, after being excluded from the 2024 women's Olympic team, Clark said she "does not talk in hypotheticals" when asked about returning to Phoenix to play in the game.
Ahead of the All-Star Game, the women's Team USA squad will practice at a site in Phoenix before heading to Paris to compete for all the marbles. Clark, since the roster was released Jan. 8, has been one of the main topics of conversation involving this year's Olympic teams.
Some fans believe the Olympic decision that omitted her from the roster wasn't about basketball.
"It's kind of more politics than it is hoop," Wolf said. "I mean, she deserves to be in it just as much as anybody else. I don't think it was the right move, but it is what it is.
"It could have been capitalized on and beneficial for everybody, just like she does for the WNBA. The amount of attention she brings to the league is ridiculous."
Whether Clark returns for the All-Star Game or not, a constant throughout her young career has been that wherever she goes in her basketball career, the spotlight and her millions of fans follow.
