Caitlin Clark's long-awaited return to action in Wednesday's game against the Golden State Valkyries had even players on the other team excited to see No. 22 back on the court.
The Indiana Fever star guard was ruled out of the last five games due to a left groin injury, but she was able to suit up in time to face her former Iowa teammate, Valkyries guard Kate Martin.
The Fever went on to lose, 80-61, to the Valkyries with Clark still struggling to find her rhythm, finishing with just 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting and going 2-of-5 from beyond the arc. But, one of Clark's three-pointers from the game instantly became iconic, as Martin could be seen in the background smiling as Clark pulled up from deep.
While the rest of the Valkyries' bench watched with unenthusiastic expressions, Martin was standing up and seemed to be elated watching the ex-Hawkeyes star do what she does best. Take a look at the awesome photo (taken by IndyStar's Grace Smith):
Oh this is an amazing pic. 😊 pic.twitter.com/2oOtQPYSb9
— Jess (@FeverBandwagon) July 9, 2025
Such a priceless moment between Clark and Martin.
Curiously enough, Martin holds the edge in every WNBA game she's played against Clark so far. Martin, who spent last season on the Las Vegas Aces before joining the Valkyries, is unbeaten against Clark (6-0) in her WNBA career. As long as the two are playing on opposite sides of the court, Martin's meetings with Clark may always be bittersweet—but perhaps a little more sweet than bitter.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Photo of Kate Martin Watching Caitlin Clark Shoot a Three-Pointer Is So Special.
