Caitlin Clark made WNBA history with a record-breaking game after weeks of controversy

Caitlin Clark replied.

The WNBA sensation became the first player in league history with at least 40 points and 10 assists, and became the 10th player in WNBA history with a 45-point game, Friday night against the Seattle Storm.

He did it all in the wake of an ongoing national controversy over the league’s treatment of him and other players, which has come to a head these days.

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All in all, Clark came out on Friday and had his best game as a pro with 45 points, 10 assists, and four steals. His last steal of the game clinched the win as he ripped the ball out of the hands of Seattle’s Flau’Jae Johnson with less than a minute remaining.

It was also the highest scoring game by a WNBA point guard or any Indiana Fever player ever.

Caitlin Clark drives to the basket during the game against the Seattle Storm at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on July 17, 2026. (Pepper Robinson/NBAE via Getty Images)

In an on-court interview with ION shortly after the game, Clark said he “really doesn’t care” about the history he made, and said his team’s defensive play was “embarrassing,” as Indiana won 110-107.

Clark told reporters that he refused to leave the game late despite being banned for minutes as he recovered from a back injury.

“I told Steph at halftime, like, I felt good and I didn’t want to lose this game,” Clark said.

“There’s no way I’d ever come out of a game in the fourth quarter. It didn’t matter. I was going to play on one leg,” added Clark.

Clark also reflected on overcoming struggles.

“I always know the work I’m doing, and people believe in me. And most of all, I believe in myself,” he said. “And you have to dig your feet in a little bit. If it doesn’t go your way, nobody cares. Find a way to make it better and find a way to help your team win and make this team better.”

The WNBA has come under fire in recent weeks after Clark was punched in the throat by Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas during a game in June, sparking a weeks-long media and online debate that often evoked race and sexism in discussions about how Clark was treated by referees, fans, other players and the media.

CAITLIN CLARK FINALLY BREAKS HER WEEK’S QUIET AFTER BEING BEATEN BY ALYSSA THOMAS.

Clark later said publicly in her first press conference since the WNBA needed to do better in protecting its players, admitting that Thomas’ hit was a clear mistake and criticizing the overall attitude of the league’s management.

The controversy escalated into politics when a group of 11 Republican lawmakers wrote to WNBA leadership demanding accountability and better protection for Clark from repeated physical attacks.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert then bailed on an interview on “The Dan Patrick Show,” creating another public relations crisis for the league after Patrick announced she was canceling the interview and criticized her on her show for skipping out on ongoing questions about Clark.

Clark then reignited the controversy himself when he appeared to scream in front of the referee during Wednesday night’s loss to Golden State, after the referee did not call a play that Clark claimed caused him to suffer a leg injury.

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Clark has been working his way back from a back injury in the same game where he was punched in the throat, and has been heavily restricted in his first three games back. But he appeared to bounce back on Friday with his historic performance, despite playing limited minutes, as he played less than 30 minutes.

At 15-10, the Fever are now tied with the Atlanta Dream for first place in the Eastern Conference, and will face the third-place New York Liberty at home on Saturday.