The Latest: Caitlin Clark makes her WNBA regular-season debut for the Indiana Fever

Caitlin Clark is set to make her WNBA regular-season debut with the Indiana Fever

Sun Fever Basketball

The latest on Caitlin Clark's WNBA regular-season debut (all times local):

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Sun planning ‘super aggressive’ defense vs Clark

Connecticut players say they have a plan to limit Clark in her WNBA debut.

DiJonai Carrington is expected to draw the primary defensive assignment and says the idea is to be physical and make Clark work hard for every point she gets and stay on her for 94 feet.

“The first shot that she gets can’t be a wide open 3, you know what I mean?” Carrington said. “It has to be tough. And then eventually she might get one. But it’s going to be after she sees three or four that don’t go down. You know what I mean? So if you make your first few shots, the basket gets really big for you. So we definitely have to come out being super aggressive in getting her off her spots.”

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No surprise, Clark’s debut is a sellout

Connecticut sold 8,910 tickets for Tuesday’s game, the first sellout of a season opener for the Sun since the team played its inaugural game at Mohegan Sun Arena in 2003 after moving from Orlando.

The Sun lost that game 82-73 to the Los Angeles Sparks, who were led by Lisa Leslie’s 18 points and 10 rebounds.

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Clark’s preseason is over. Now, the real play begins

Clark had 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Fever’s final preseason game last week.

They beat the Atlanta Dream 83-80, with Clark playing 31 minutes.

The Fever had to open the third deck of their home arena to seat all of the fans who came out to watch.

That was after Clark scored 21 in her preseason debut, a 79-76 loss to the Dallas Wings.

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With Paris roster still TBD, US women’s basketball watching Clark closely

Caitlin Clark’s hopes of playing in the Paris Games will depend on her early play in the WNBA.

The U.S. women’s roster for the Olympics in July won’t be determined before June 1. Unable to attend the U.S. training camp last month, Clark will have the start of her WNBA career to show the U.S. women’s basketball selection committee whether she deserves a spot on the team. Selection committee chair Jennifer Rizzotti said she’ll be watching.

“You always want to introduce new players into the pool whether it’s for now or the future,” Rizzotti told The Associated Press. “We stick to our principles of talent, obviously, positional fit, loyalty and experience. It’s got to be a combination of an entire body of work. It’s still not going to be fair to some people.”

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The WNBA is soaring to new heights

The WNBA is working behind the scenes to organize charter flights for its teams — and players are pumped.

The league announced last week its athletes will be flying charter this season.

That means no more commercial security lines, bodyguards in public spaces, cramped legroom or layovers for the professional athletes who have been lobbying for better travel long before Clark’s celebrity brought newfound interest to the league.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball