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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks with an official Wednesday, July 9, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Golden State Valkyries at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

'Those Are Things That Can’t Happen': Caitlin Clark Calls Out Indiana Fever’s Lackluster Effort In Loss To Kate Martin’s Valkyries

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Dan Agulto | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Caitlin Clark didn’t hold back after the Fever’s 80–61 collapse to Kate Martin’s Golden State Valkyries. Back from injury, Clark expected more but the team showed none of it.

“It starts on the defense, we struggled, we struggled to do what the coarse asked of us. We played with poor energy and effort those are things that can’t happen.”

Despite Caitlin Clark logging nearly 25 minutes, the Fever shot a season-worst 30.9% overall and 22.2% from deep. Teammate Lexie Hull echoed the sentiment, pointing fingers at mental lapse and collective lethargy.

“We didn’t do a good job of taking away the things their team wants to do, it really just comes down to effort and us not locking in mentally.”

That shared accountability feels rare and painfully accurate. Caitlin Clark returned with low expectations on her minutes, but her star-level standards stayed high.

Captain Clark’s return was supposed to stabilize the team, but instead, it only exposed deeper issues. The Valkyries repeatedly punished Indiana in transition and outworked them on both ends. Kate Martin, Clark’s former Iowa teammate, ended with 13 points and looked more settled than anyone wearing red, white, and navy.

This isn’t Caitlin Clark trying to dodge blame. She’s reminding a team that success isn’t automatic. With Clark’s influence bringing record crowds and WC-caliber attention, complacency isn’t an option. If the Fever want to ride her momentum, proof isn’t just in stats—it’s in daily grind and gritty playoff-type effort.

Jul 9, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes (15) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark Breaks All-Time Records Despite Valkyries Setback

Caitlin Clark carved out history even in defeat. The WNBA officially marked her 50th career game right in the middle of that 80–61 loss to the Valkyries. And her stats landed her firmly in the record books.

Through 50 games, Clark owns: Most assists ever by any player in her first 50 WNBA games, Most three-pointers made in the same span, Seventh-most total points scored in that timeframe. And we know she’s not done with history-making yet.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) greets Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin (20) on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Golden State Valkyries at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

She also finished this game with a solid stat line: 10 points, five rebounds, six assists, and a steal in 25 minutes of action.

Indiana’s franchise player continues to rewrite the rookie rulebook. She’s still pacing at around 19 points and 8.5 assists per game through her first 50 outings.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin (20) hug Wednesday, July 9, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Golden State Valkyries at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

It’s a reminder: even in a loss where effort slipped, Caitlin Clark was still doing things no one has ever done this early in a career.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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