After being out for eight months, Caitlin Clark is finally back on the court—and fans are loving it.

The Indiana Fever point guard made her national team debut against Senegal at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup qualifying tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. CC made sure her presence was felt right away.

As expected, Clark did not start for Team USA. But it didn’t take long for her to steal the spotlight. With 1:22 left in the first quarter, she received a pass from Kelsey Plum and quickly launched a three-pointer.

The shot bounced softly on the rim before dropping in, marking her first points since July of last year. Sharp and smooth start! But that wasn’t the only highlight from her early minutes. 

The former Hawkeyes superstar entered the game at the 5:16 mark of the first quarter alongside Kelsey Plum, Rhyne Howard, Kiki Iriafen, and Monique Billings. Soon after, she delivered a clean pass to Billings for an assist, helping Team USA extend its lead. With moments like that, it was no surprise that fans quickly reacted online.

Fans Dived Into the Comment Section! 

“This FIBA USA team is a whole cheat code… especially when Caitlin Clark is knocking down three-pointers like this,” one fan wrote. Well, the reaction made sense. Especially since CC is known for hitting deep shots, even from the logo. 

Last season, she averaged 2.2 three-pointers per game despite being limited to just 13 games. And if you still have any doubts, her record-breaking NCAA scoring career proves her impactful career. 

“Caitlin Clark hoops are back,” another fan posted. The excitement has been building ever since Clark missed much of last season due to injuries. Fans have been waiting months to see her return. 

“Spread it on toast and call it butter… so smooth. The GOAT is back!” another netizen wrote. Well, CC has made a habit of draining shots from unbelievable distances. Before her groin injury last season, she was knocking down shots from 27, 30, and even 35 feet. Now, she looks ready to do it again. So all those fans cheering her up make perfect sense. Especially since their superstar delivered a satisfactory answer too! 

“I know how much work and time I put in to make sure my body is as healthy as it can be,” Clark told USA Today. “I wanted to get back not only to where I was, but even better than before.”

And Clark wasn’t the only reason for the excitement. 

“Team USA is winning this hands down,” penned another user after witnessing the women in white's dominance over Senegal. They led the African nation 59–19 early in the third quarter. With nearly a 40-point advantage, acquiring the result was never really in doubt.

After all, the squad features a star-studded lineup of the current WNBA icons, including Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese. With that level of talent, fans believe Team USA could cruise through the tournament! Would you like to agree?

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Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Souvik Roy