Caitlin Clark Takes Barack Obama’s Advice Into WNBA All-Star Spotlight
Caitlin Clark’s whirlwind WNBA All-Star weekend began with presidential advice and ended with the Indiana Fever guard entertaining a record crowd at Chicago’s United Center.
Before taking the court Saturday, Clark met former President Barack Obama during a surprise appearance at the WNBA All-Stars’ practice at the newly opened Obama Presidential Center. Their conversation included a message that Clark carried into the game: “Don’t lose the joy.”
Clark admitted she was nervous during the meeting and said her hands were “sweaty and clammy.” Despite being asked for photographs countless times herself, she could not resist requesting one with Obama.
The former president praised Clark for the way she has managed the intense attention surrounding her career. She later described the encounter as a moment she would remember for the rest of her life.
Obama Encourages Clark to Protect Her Joy
Obama surprised the league’s 22 All-Stars before Friday’s practice, entering the gym as players prepared for the weekend’s events.
“Some of you I’m meeting for the first time, all of you are extraordinary,” Obama told the players. “The way the game has been growing lately and the way the game has been picking up, people have been paying attention to your excellence.”
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The WNBA became the first professional sports league to use the Presidential Center’s basketball court. Obama posed for photographs, spoke individually with several players and briefly dropped into a defensive stance against New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones.
For Clark, the former president’s reminder offered perspective amid the scrutiny, controversy and expectations that have followed her since she entered the league in 2024.
This year’s All-Star weekend, however, has been overshadowed by growing tensions around the WNBA. Discussions about race, gender and sexuality intensified after an on-court incident involving Clark and Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, while players continued criticizing league leadership over social media harassment and divisive commentary directed at athletes.
Clark quickly put Obama’s words into practice Saturday.
Playing before an All-Star-record crowd of 19,783, she scored Team Spoon’s first eight points. Clark turned a steal into a layup before connecting on two of her signature long-range 3-pointers.
One shot came from a distance that would have qualified for four points under the special scoring format used during the previous All-Star Game. The WNBA removed the 4-point spots this year, a change Clark jokingly indicated she did not support.
“Any time you get to put on a uniform and play an All-Star Game is really special,” Clark said. “It’s really a unique experience for myself as I never really got to play in a true All-Star Game before.”
Clark finished with 17 points and five 3-pointers as Team Spoon defeated Team Coop 129-122. Jones recorded 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to earn All-Star MVP honors.
Although Clark was selected as an All-Star in each of her first three WNBA seasons, Saturday marked her first appearance in the league’s traditional format. Her rookie-year game placed the WNBA All-Stars against the U.S. Olympic team, while an injury kept her from playing in the 2025 event in Indianapolis.
Fans Follow Clark Across Chicago
Clark’s schedule between practice and the game included promotional appearances for Nike, State Farm and Wilson.
Hundreds of fans, many wearing her No. 22 jersey, waited for a chance to receive an autograph, exchange a high-five or catch a glimpse of the Fever star.
At the WNBA Live fan festival, Clark participated in a musical-chairs-style shooting competition at the State Farm exhibit. She later encouraged young players competing for a pair of her signature shoes and visited a Nike girls basketball tournament featuring her former AAU program, the Iowa Attack.
Clark also introduced a new collection of Wilson basketballs.
“I’m excited this weekend is packed with a lot of stuff,” she said during the Wilson event. “I never want to take for granted All-Star weekend.”
