The WNBA’s marketing department might want to log off for a while.
Just days after choosing Fever rookie Raven Johnson over generational superstar Caitlin Clark to front the promotional graphics for Sunday’s matchup against the Seattle Storm, Indiana took the court and let the box score settle the discourse.
CAITLIN CLARK MAKES WNBA HISTORY AFTER LEAGUE CORRECTS STAT SHEET AHEAD OF FEVER VS STORM MATCHUP
Indiana secured a commanding 89-78 victory over Seattle, though the real story unfolded in the stark contrast between the league’s forced promotional face and the team’s actual focal point, which was a marketing mishap made all the more hilarious by the sudden absence of the team’s other primary star, Aliyah Boston.
WNBA pushed Raven Johnson over Caitlin Clark for Fever game, then Johnson failed to score off the bench. (CREDIT: @WNBA/X) (@WNBA/X)
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever dribbles the ball while defended by Zia Cooke of the Seattle Storm at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 17, 2026. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
With Boston ruled out just before tip-off due to a lower leg injury, the spotlight on Caitlin Clark intensified.
Clark, who was shockingly snubbed from the league’s official pre-game marketing material despite coming off a historic, stat-corrected 30-point performance against the Mystics, proved exactly why she is the biggest draw in women’s basketball.
Shouldering an even heavier load without Boston in the paint, Clark torched the Storm defense, dropping a team-high 21 points and dishing out 10 assists along with seven rebounds.
OutKick founder Clay Travis sounded off on the league’s ridiculous snub: “Was Michael Jordan ever not the lead graphic on any Bulls game when he was a member of the team? You can say this is a small thing, but I would guarantee you Bill Cartwright, Luc Longley & Bill Wennington never got the promo graphic over Jordan. Sell the stars! Marketing 101.”
On the flip side was Johnson.
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Thrust into the spotlight as the unexpected “poster child” for the Fever in the WNBA’s promotional rollout, Johnson’s on-court production miserably failed to match her sudden marketing billing.
Raven Johnson of the Indiana Fever dribbles the ball during a game against the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 9, 2026. (Jeff Dean/NBAE/Getty Images)
In 17 minutes of action off the bench, Johnson failed to register a single point, dropping a giant goose egg on the stat sheet.
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While her defensive energy contributed to the team’s depth, a scoreless night highlighted the utter absurdity of the league elevating a backup guard over the most prolific scorer in basketball history, especially on a night when the team was already missing its star center.
Indiana walks away with a huge win, and the WNBA walks away with another glaring lesson in who actually drives the bus.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever celebrates after scoring a basket to send the game into overtime against the Washington Mystics at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 15, 2026. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
