She didn’t need to be born in Indy to belong to it. Imagine…a rookie, fresh out of college, not even from the city itself. And yet, when her first game rolled around, the entire city lined up outside Gainbridge hours before tip-off. Over 13,000 tickets were gone. The second she stepped on the court, the roar was deafening. You could barely hear yourself think. That was the kind of welcome Caitlin Clark got when she made her Fever debut in Indy last year. You’d think maybe some of that hype would cool off by now and the cheers would go quieter, right? Well, not even close.
The arena always gets loud when the Fever superstar hits the floor. At this point, it’s a pattern. Fever fans think, “Yes, that’s the best thing Caitlin’s done so far,” and then next game, she goes even bigger. No wonder folks missed her like crazy over the past three weeks. Well, on her first game back, she gave us everything we missed. Signature Clark, packed into one fiery return.
And speaking of signatures, we have those threes at the top pf the list. That comeback win over the Liberty was full of them. Actually, it was more like a 3-point shooting clinic. See, Clark’s logo range isn’t new. She never hesitates pulling up from spots where most players wouldn’t even think about letting it fly. And she did it again.
Late in the first quarter, she casually grabbed an outlet pass from Sydney Colson, walked into a 33-footer, and just drained it. She spun around, screamed, and the place exploded. Didn’t even give fans time to settle and she knocked down two more back-to-back. One from 27 feet. Then one from 31. Living her Reggie Miller moment: three 3s in a 38-second span, by the time the second quarter was halfway done, Clark had five triples, 20 points, four boards, three dimes… and one technical foul for arguing a no-call.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) yells in excitement Saturday, May 17, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Chicago Sky, 93-58.
Finally, she ended the night with 32 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. Oh, and seven 3-pointers – tying her career-high. Fans loved every bit of it. However, while the arena was losing it, fans were screaming, and Clark was feeding off that energy… ESPN’s announcers were not very vocal about it. And fans noticed. In fact, they’re now flooding social media demanding justice for what they felt was an underwhelming broadcast call during one of Clark’s most amazing pro performances yet.
Fans call out announcers for “radio silence” during Caitlin Clark performance
One fan didn’t hold back as they worte, “These announcers are f–ing a-s bro she’s out here hitting shots from Cuba and it’s radio silence.” It wasn’t just a couple of threes as the crazy part is three of those shots came from at least 30 feet out. To put it in perspective, all six of her first-half triples were from way beyond the arc. Three from 30 feet+ (34, 31, 31) and three more from 27+ (28, 27, 27). In total, a jaw-dropping 199 feet of made threes. Like, what even is that? It didn’t feel real.
But then again, it’s Caitlin Clark. So when ESPN’s crew didn’t hype it up like announcers usually do, fans felt robbed of the energy those moments deserved. And this isn’t the first time people have felt like the calls around Clark don’t match the moment. Another fan jumped in, “Only the WNBA could have announcers who make it sound like these were 3 straight misses.”
The irony is just last year, when Clark broke the WNBA’s single-season assist record with her 317th dime in a loss to the Aces, some fans were frustrated she got too much attention- even as Kelsey Mitchell was cooking in the first half. But now, tables have turned. Then there’s the bigger picture. One user said, “These WNBA announcers aren’t doing CC justice,” and that opened the floodgates again. Because this ESPN vs. Clark debate’s been simmering for a while.
these WNBA announcers aren’t doing CC justice
— CACT (@0023Cact) June 14, 2025
Remember that whole mess when ESPN posted the 2025 WNBA Draft viewership record but compared it to 2023 instead of 2024? Why skip the Clark-fueled 2024 explosion? Elle Duncan tried clearing the air, saying 2024 was “anomalous” because of how big CC was, so ESPN picked a different baseline to show growth. But fans weren’t buying it. They felt it was a dodge, not fair play. Then someone else penned, “They need to hire better announcers for these WNBA games lol they just be saying anything it sounds so stupid to me.” At this point, it wasn’t just about one game, it was about the whole vibe. Fans wanted voices who get the moment and don’t let history slip by in silence.
One fan even chimed in with, “Didn’t even realize this. I thought Ruocco called ESPN games?” The confusion is understandable as…if Ryan Ruocco had been, this whole “no praise for Caitlin” situation probably wouldn’t have happened. Remember that sweet little moment they shared during her pregame debut this season? Ruocco’s been calling her games since her Iowa days, so he’s seen her entire rise, step by step. And every time Clark did something amazing, he always reached deep into his bag for the perfect call. The two share a genuinely beautiful on-air connection and fans have come to expect that kind of energy from the broadcast.
Because while fans live for those hyped-up, chaotic reactions from announcers that match the on-court madness, silence like this throws everything off. ESPN’s been supportive, sure, and most announcers do appreciate what Caitlin Clark brings but this one just didn’t land
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