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Caitlin Clark makes debut as special contributor for NBC ahead of LeBron James' potential final game in Madison Square Garden

Meby: Nick Geddes02/02/26NickGeddesNews

The New York Knicks host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in what could be LeBron James‘ final NBA game inside Madison Square Garden. Naturally, the stars are out and among them is Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark.

Clark made her debut as a special contributor for NBC. She served as a member of the pregame panel alongside Maria Taylor, Carmelo Anthony, and Reggie Miller.

“First time in MSG for a Knicks game,” Clark said. “This is pretty cool.”

Clark, the third-year WNBA pro, has played on some big stages in her career. Notably, she has never played at MSG, known as the “Mecca of Basketball.” The energy inside the building is at an all-time high with James and the Lakers in town. Clark could feel it and would welcome the opportunity to one day play on that historic court.

“I think, as a player, this is kind of when you feel the atmosphere the most is when you’re out on the court warming up,” Clark said. “It’s just a different type of buzz and obviously when LeBron comes to town, it’s probably really different. Knicks fans are crazy, and I love it. I love people that are passionate about basketball, so it’s pretty incredible.”

Perhaps Clark can put in a word to one day make it a reality. Clark is undoubtedly the most popular player in the league. Wherever she plays, a big crowd typically follows.

Selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark carried as much hype into women’s professional basketball as any player before her. She has, thus far, met that hype. She earned Rookie of the Year honors and finished fourth in MVP voting in her first season with the Fever.

This past season, groin and ankle injuries kept her from playing a full campaign. She featured in just 13 games, missing out on the Fever’s run to the WNBA Semifinals.

In total, she has played in 53 games over two seasons in the WNBA. Clark has posted averages of 18.5 points, 8.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Caitlin Clark opens up on WNBA’s negotiations over revenue-sharing model, new CBA

The WNBA has seen major growth since Clark entered the league. Now, the players are looking to strike a new collective bargaining agreement with the 2026 season fast approaching. The main point of contention is how a new revenue-sharing system should work.

The WNBPA opted out of the last CBA a little more than a year ago, but despite conversations with the WNBA, a new agreement has not yet been struck. That’s why Monday’s in-person meeting, the first such meeting in several weeks, is so important. Clark is confident a new deal will materialize in the coming weeks.

“I know everybody’s working really hard in this meeting tomorrow that’s super important, and I truly do believe we’re going to get something done here in the next couple weeks, but like you said, there’s a lot of boxes that we still need to check,” Clark said. “We’ve added two new teams, there’s going to be more players than ever, and then we have to get into free agency, then have a normal draft, as well. There’s a lot of things left to do, but I do feel confident that both sides are going to reach a deal here soon.”