Caitlin Clark gets 100% honest on Fever rookie Raven Johnson

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have struggled to start the season. They are 4-4 despite entering the campaign as one of the title favorites, and they are receiving minimal production from the bench.

Raven Johnson shone as a bright spot for the team in its 90-88 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday. The rookie guard scored a career-high 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting, along with four rebounds and two assists. Fever head coach Stephanie played her for 21:20 minutes after averaging just 12.5 in the previous six games.

However, she wasn’t able to replicate her success on Saturday. Johnson recorded only three points and one assist in Indiana’s 100-84 defeat to the Portland Fire. Bench scoring has been a big issue for the team, and the former South Carolina Gamecocks star needs to step up consistently as the season progresses.

Indiana Fever: Caitlin Clark praises Raven Johnson

Clark spoke to reporters during her pregame availability on Saturday. She praised Johnson for her big game two nights earlier and highlighted her all-around performance.

“I thought Raven was amazing last game,” Clark said. “Brought that spark off the bench that we kind of needed. And, you know, getting confident with her shot, her shot-making ability. She’s getting downhill, getting her feet in the paint, setting her teammates up.

“And then, obviously, the thing she can do every single game is be disruptive defensively. She picks up full court. So I think she’s starting to figure it out and get more comfortable.”

The two-time All-Star said that she expects Johnson to be a key piece of the lineup for the rest of the season.

“You know, she’s capable of so many amazing things,” Clark said. “So she’s going to be a big part of this team going down the stretch here, especially throughout the year. You know, she’s a piece off the bench that we really need to be successful. And I think she’s done a tremendous job early on just learning and kind of putting that to use throughout the game.”

Clark, Johnson and the Fever will return home for a matchup with Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream on Thursday. It’s a marquee game as the Dream sit at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 5-2 record. Indiana also has a chance to snap its two-game losing streak before embarking on a two-game road trip.

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