Caitlin Clark ruffled plenty of feathers when she entered the WNBA. The NCAA's all-time leading scorer was doubted by analysts and her peers after being drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever, with many believing that her game would not completely translate to the professional level.
It cannot be overstated just how wrong those assertions were. Clark immediately became one of the league's best players, averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and a league-leading 8.4 assists per game. After landing on the All-Star team at the midway point in the season, she earned First-Team All-WNBA honors and won the Rookie of the Year Award for her efforts.
The Fever made it to the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade last season, and several other great players joined the team this offseason. It has become clear that those same peers would now rather play with her than against her.
Caitlin Clark already has WNBA rookies looking forward to matching up with her
However, almost every rule has an exception, and former NC State wing Saniya Rivers is exactly that. Rivers was drafted by the Connecticut Sun with the No. 8 overall pick in last week's WNBA Draft, and she, for one, cannot wait to match up against Clark.
Saniya Rivers says she looks forward to matching up with Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever this season.
— Brendan Glasheen (@BrendanGlasheen) April 15, 2025
Rivers & Clark faced each other December 1, 2022. Rivers recalled how Clark went for 45 points, but NC State got the W.
Rivers looks forward to guarding one of the best.
Fortunately for Rivers, the Sun will face off against the Fever on four different occasions this season. She'll get her first crack at Clark on May 30 when Connecticut travels to Indiana for an early-season matchup, then they'll play each other once a month for the rest of the season.
Rivers began her college career by playing a limited role in South Carolina's 2022 National Championship before transferring to NC State. There, she starred for the Wolfpack, stuffing the stat sheet over the next three years.
During her senior campaign, she averaged 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game for a Wolfpack team that fell short against LSU in the Sweet 16. Now, she'll look to make an immediate impact on a Connecticut Sun team that lost all five starters from last year's semifinal squad.
Clark should have the upper hand given both her experience and incredible prowess on the court, but it sounds like Rivers has a healthy respect for the young guard. This rivalry will be interesting to keep track of, although it may be a bit one-sided to start with.