Caitlin Clark shares awesome moment with Vanessa Bryant and family at WNBA All-Star game
Caitlin Clark and the WNBA All-Stars are taking the stage this weekend in Phoenix. And women’s basketball fans simply can’t get enough of the superstar sharpshooter. She had the family members of one of the all-time greats in attendance to watch her on Saturday night. Vanessa Bryant, the wife of Kobe Bryant, and his family were courtside, and the Iowa star shared a special moment with them.
Clark didn’t disappoint in her first All-Star Game, stuffing the stat sheet with four points, 10 assists (a rookie record), and two steals. Angel Reese had an excellent game, too, stuffing the stat sheet with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Arike Ogunbowale stuffed the stat sheet with 34 points, six rebounds, and six assists on Saturday evening. The WNBA All-Stars brought home the victory against Team USA, winning 117 to 109.
For her efforts, Ogunbowale was named All-Star Game MVP, her second time winning the honor. She became the fourth player in WNBA history to win that honor twice, joining Lisa Leslie, Swin Cash and Maya Moore as the only multi-time winners.
And after a scoreless first half, Ogunbowale got a simple message from head coach Cheryl Miller at half. “Coach told me take a deep breath and go out there and play my game and that’s what I did,” Ogunbowale told ESPN’s Holly Rowe.
Caitlin Clark was hunting down a record in the 2nd half
When Caitlin Clark was first entering the league, she quickly became a focal point for some trash talk from league veterans and former players. Chief among the talkers: WNBA legend Sue Bird.
So, when Clark learned she was two assists shy of tying, and three short of breaking Bird’s WNBA All-Star Game assist record, she couldn’t help but fire off a few feisty jokes during a mid-game interview. And to make matters even better, Bird was on hand, sitting court side and apparently has been trash talking for plenty of the night.
“Oh, OK. It’s Sue’s. OK, then I’m breaking it,” Clark said, wryly. “She’s been talking crap all game. So, then I’m breaking it. If it’s anybody else, if it’s anybody else they can keep it. Not Sue Bird.”
Clark fell just two assists short of shattering Bird’s record (12) in the All-Star Game.
She took to Twitter shortly after the game to react to the fans and crowd, “Such a fun first All-Star experience in Phoenix! The fans and city were amazing…Now time for some rest and relaxation:) see you all in a month,” the former Iowa superstar said.
On3’s Andrew Graham also contributed to this article.