Caitlin Clark, Raven Johnson Have Not Addressed NCAA Incident

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark, Raven Johnson Have Not Addressed NCAA Incident

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Apr 22, 2026 8:01 PM ET

Caitlin Clark was immediately drawn into the picture the moment the Indiana Fever selected Raven Johnson as the 10th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

While there was a lot of excitement surrounding the arrival of the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year, fans also immediately looked back at Johnson’s history with Clark.

Clark, who at that time was with the Iowa Hawkeyes, infamously waved off Johnson during a Final Four matchup in the 2023 NCAA tournament. Johnson found herself wide open from beyond the arc, but Clark decided to wave her off instead of attempting to defend the South Carolina guard.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert poses for photos with Raven Johnson who was selected tenth overall by the Indiana Fever during the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards.Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Johnson later revealed that she got bullied online as the clip went viral. So much so that she contemplated quitting basketball altogether.

On Wednesday at the Fever’s media day, Johnson addressed her incident with Clark. When asked if they had already settled the matter, the rookie admitted that she had not spoken to Clark about it at all.

“No, we haven’t,” Johnson said. “I think that’s in the past, honestly. We’re teammates now and we have one goal, that’s to win a championship.”

#Fever rookie Raven Johnson, asked if she and Caitlin Clark have spoken about Clark waving her off at the 3-point line in the 2023 Final Four:

“No, we haven’t. I think that’s in the past, honestly. We’re teammates now and we have one goal, that’s to win a championship. …” pic.twitter.com/78buYRDqop
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) April 22, 2026

Johnson was quick to play down the issue, expressing her desire to move on. The 5-foot-8 guard won two championships with the Gamecocks in college, and this is exactly what she wants to do in the WNBA alongside Clark.

"I'm coming in, I want to win a championship, too," Johnson declared. "And I'm pretty sure that's her main goal, too. So whatever I can do to help win a championship, that's the goal right now."

Johnson is expected to play an important role in the Fever rotation as a rookie. Her defense is her primary asset. If everything goes according to plan, Johnson can potentially transform Indiana’s backcourt into a force on the defensive end.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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