New Indiana Fever player sends Caitlin Clark message

South Carolina Gamecocks standout Raven Johnson was selected 10th overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2026 WNBA Draft on Monday. She now teams up with former collegiate rival and current Fever star Caitlin Clark, who was picked first in 2024. 

During the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Johnson’s Gamecocks faced Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the Final Four. In the first quarter, Clark waved off her assignment to guard Johnson. The former Iowa star left her open near the three-point line, forcing Johnson to decide whether to shoot.

The Atlanta native chose not to take the shot. Clark delivered a dominant performance that night. She scored 41 points with eight assists and six rebounds to lead Iowa into the national championship game. Johnson finished with 13 points, including 3-of-6 from three-point range.

Johnson later said the situation left her embarrassed and affected her confidence, which lingered long after South Carolina’s loss. She said she was widely discussed online after the incident and struggled with intense social media backlash. She even considered stepping away from basketball as she tried to cope with the mental toll.

Raven Johnson eager to learn after joining Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

Despite the setback, Johnson continued her career at South Carolina. She eventually turned her viral moment into motivation to improve her outside shooting. Clark and Johnson met again in the 2024 national championship. The Gamecocks star turned the tables as South Carolina defeated Iowa 87-75 to complete an undefeated 38-0 season.

Now, Johnson and Clark transition from opponents to teammates in Indiana. Johnson is expected to come off the bench behind the Iowa native in the rotation as she earns her minutes in her rookie season.

Johnson said she looks forward to learning from Clark, her former college teammate Aliyah Boston, and other Indiana veterans. It was a clear message of respect toward the star guard and the rest of the Fever locker room. 

“Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell — I think I’ll learn a lot from them,” the 5-foot-8 guard said, via Indiana Fever website. “I’m going to be a sponge. I’m probably going to be gnat, too, because I’m going to ask them a lot of questions. … They like to win. I think that that’s really big.”

 Training camp begins Sunday, marking Johnson’s first official on-court reunion with Clark and the rest of the team. She is excited about it.

“You’re talking about a team that could possibly win the championship,” Johnson said. “I think it’s crazy. They have a lot of vets I could learn from and they’re winners. Everybody on that team likes to win. I think that’s what makes that team special. So to go to a program like that, that has the same mentality as me of winning is phenomenal.” 

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