Caitlin Clark And Fever Coach Recalled Michael Jordan Memories Prior To Matchup Against Angel Reese’s Sky

Whenever the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever square off, it feels like a primetime event. Tonight’s clash between Angel Reese’s Sky and Caitlin Clark’s Fever was no different, only this time, it came with an added layer of nostalgia. The two teams battled it out at the United Center, the very arena where Michael Jordan carved his legacy.

This building isn’t just another NBA venue. It’s where Jordan brought six banners to the rafters and changed basketball forever. That energy wasn’t lost on the Indiana Fever, especially interim head coach Austin Kelly. With head coach Stephanie White missing the game due to personal reasons, Kelly took over the reins for the night and couldn’t help but soak in the moment.

Before tip-off, Kelly remembered his younger days when he used to watch MJ play basketball. He said that he still remembers where he was when Jordan won his championships in the 90s. He said, “It’s surreal to just be in here and to see the banners go up.” Kelly wasn’t the only one on the Fever to feel that way.

Caitlin Clark has spoken in the past about her respect for MJ’s competitive fire. She unfortunately missed the game due to a left quad strain that she suffered during the Fever’s 90-88 loss to the Liberty on May 24. She referred to one of MJ’s most memorable stories to praise the NBA legend for his unparalleled drive.

“I know MJ is really competitive with it. The stories about MJ are crazy. He would go play 18, then show up to the game and drop 35. I could never do that. That’s a different breed,” she said.

Every Fever game is guaranteed to be a big event. Add the element of Clark’s rivalry with Reese, and it becomes a must-see event. However, without Clark’s presence, it seems like people didn’t have much interest in being at the arena. The ticket prices for the game dropped to $3 each for row 14, which is unheard of in the Clark era of WNBA basketball.

Regardless, the Fever ended up winning the game 79-52 with dominant performances from Kelsey Mitchell and Natasha Howard.