Kelsey Mitchell scored 36 points, including a 3 that gave the Fever a four-point lead with 1:58 remaining in a meeting of teams that entered with matching three-game winning streaks.

Ogunbowale finished 9 of 16 from long range — beating her previous career best of seven 3s — and scored 34 points. The All-Star Game MVP missed two attempts at a record 10th 3-pointer, including one with the Wings trailing by six in the final minute.

Ogunbowale, who tied a career high with eight rebounds, matched the league record for 3s held by Mitchell (2019) and Seattle’s Jewell Loyd (2023).

“I salute people like Arike because off the court, we’re really great friends,” Mitchell said. “We tend to work out and train together in the offseason. I wasn’t expecting any other way coming from a person like that.”

Clark and Mitchell hit five 3s apiece, combining to go 10 of 18 as the Fever shot 50% from long range and 53% overall.

“When you have two guards that are both making plays, it puts the other team in the tough position of what to take away, who to put on who,” Clark said.

“We’re definitely shooting it well. We’re playing off each other well. We’re looking for each other, and we’re getting downhill, too. I think it’s been a good balance of everything.”

Clark was coming off a career-high 31 points in a win over fellow rookie of the year contender Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky.

She set a WNBA record with 19 assists in her first regular-season visit to Texas in the game before the Olympic break, a 101-93 Indiana loss when the Fever were on the edge of the playoff picture.

Now, Indiana (17-16) is above .500 for the first time with Clark and solidly in the playoff mix while the Wings (9-23) are still hoping to recover from a slow start triggered by several key injuries. Dallas, which won its first playoff series last year, is two games out of the final postseason spot with eight remaining.

The Fever are 6-1 since the Olympic break with three of those victories on the road. The reward is six consecutive home games starting Wednesday against the last-place Los Angeles Sparks before the regular-season finale at Washington.

“They’ve laid it out there. We just keep talking about emptying our tank,” Indiana coach Christie Sides said.

“The confidence that they’re playing with, I’m proud of the road games. The road games have been tough. We just keep talking about momentum, keeping our foot on the gas.”

After making her eighth 3-pointer in the third quarter, Ogunbowale was called for a foul for not giving Kelsey Mitchell a landing area on a 3.

The Wings challenged, and lost, which led to Ogunbowale getting a technical foul. The Fever scored five points on that possession, cutting their deficit to 67-64 after Dallas had taken its biggest lead at 64-55 less than two minutes earlier.

Mitchell added two free throws after her crucial 3 as the Fever scored eight consecutive points for a 99-91 lead with 39 seconds remaining.

Satou Sabally scored 25 points, and Natasha Howard had 18 points and nine assists for the Wings. NaLyssa Smith had 14 points and eight rebounds for Indiana.

Credit: AP

It was Indiana’s first win against Connecticut since July 3, 2021. The Fever (15-16) have won four of five since returning from the WNBA’s Olympic break while the Sun saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.

Neither team led by double figures in a game where Clark set a WNBA rookie record for 3-pointers, passing Rhyne Howard’s 85 in 2022, with a triple in the first quarter. Clark added two more 3-pointers before finishing 3 of 12, giving her 88 on the season.

For Mitchell, it was her fifth consecutive game with 20-plus points, a franchise record. Her connection with Clark continues to grow.

“I think the best part about it is that our chemistry continues to get better,” Mitchell said during a postgame interview with NBATV.

“I value what Caitlin brings to the table because not only does she have the pace and the space, but she can shoot the lights out and you just got to be ready when your number’s called with a person like that.”

With Indiana leading 82-80, Clark had a long 3-pointer rattle out and Connecticut called a timeout with 38.6 seconds left. Marina Mabrey worked the clock down before passing it to Alyssa Thomas, who had it stolen by Indiana’s Temi Fagbenle with 24.1 remaining.

Lexie Hull, a 76% free-throw shooter, made two free throws with 19.4 seconds left to give Indiana a four-point lead. DiJonai Carrington was short on a 3-point attempt and Clark grabbed the rebound before running out the clock.

Hull, in her second start of the season, had 17 points and eight rebounds for Indiana. The Fever went 13 of 30 from distance, with four 3-pointers apiece from Hull and Mitchell.

Carrington scored 19 points, Thomas had 17 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Mabrey added 16 points off the bench for Connecticut (22-8). DeWanna Bonner had 13 points and eight rebounds.

Indiana led 51-42 at halftime behind three double-digit scorers. Mitchell scored 13 points, and Hull and Clark each had 10. The Fever shot 55% in the first half as the teams combined for 21 turnovers.

Simone Biles, fresh off winning three more Olympic gold medals in Paris, was in attendance. Gabby Thomas, who won three gold medals in track, also posed for photos with players in the Fever locker room after the game.

Credit: AP

Three months into her professional career, the answer seems clear: Better than expected.

It may have taken a little longer than Clark or the Indiana Fever would have liked, but she is having a record-setting rookie season and crafting a new image along the way.

The No. 1 draft pick entered the league out of Iowa known for her record-breaking NCAA scoring — and particularly those long 3-pointers. Now, she has assists records.

“I’ve always been able to see something happen before it happens,” Clark said recently after the Fever defeated Phoenix and completed their first season sweep of any team since 2020.

“I think (Kelsey Mitchell) can tell (now) when I want her to go back door, when I want her to cut off the ball or anything like that. It’s that chemistry you get when you’re used to playing with one another.

“It’s taken time, but I think we’re really starting to get it down.”

Anyone who has watched — and yes, millions of fans are continuing to tune in — can see the difference.

After stumbling out of the gate — the Fever opened this season with nine games in 16 days, losing eight of them with Clark scrambling to learn the playbook and how to fit in. Her turnovers outnumbered her assists. And there were more questions than answers as frustration appeared to creep into the mix.

Since then, Indiana has rebounded by going 12-7, solidifying its playoff position. And all the angst has been replaced by smiles and high fives.

It’s not by happenstance.

Clark challenged during Olympic break

A compressed schedule between the end of Clark’s college season and the start of the WNBA season didn’t give Indiana much time to practice — or for the players to learn one another’s nuances. So during the monthlong Olympic break, coach Christie Sides changed the practice routine and challenged Clark.

“There were a lot of times during drills where they were running certain offences and I would tell (Clark), and only her, so she would have to tell the players what we’re running or where to go,” Sides said.

“I would throw some things out there, some sets we hadn’t run so she had to think it through and put people in the right position.”

Clark has responded and her teammates seem to be taking the cue, too.

In their first two games since the break, Indiana looked impressive in wins against Phoenix and Seattle. The Fever outscored the Storm 33-17 over the final 10 minutes.

Mitchell is 11 of 21 on 3s and has 55 points since the restart while Lexi Hull had a season-high 22 points and went 6 of 7 on 3s in her last game. Forward Aliyah Boston, the 2023 Rookie of the Year, also had nine assists against the Storm after outplaying Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner last Friday.

Indiana plays at Minnesota on Saturday.

“You have to adjust,” Mitchell said, describing the learning process with Clark.

“She had to transition as a pro, and we had to give her what she needs, be a resource and fill those gaps in. She’s one of those players where her (basketball) IQ is going to take us a lot of places, so you’ve got to figure out where you fit in, knowing how to read and adjust off of her.”

Clark leads WNBA rookies in scoring

Since Clark’s dubious record-setting 10-turnover debut, her assist-to-turnover ratio has jumped from 1.23 to 1 in May and June to 2.19 to 1 in eight games since July 1. Records seem to fall each week:

— She broke the WNBA’s single-season rookie mark for assists Sunday, reaching No. 232 and ending Ticha Penicheiro’s 26-year run as the record holder.

— In her final game before the break, Clark broke the league’s single-game record with 19 assists, capping a run of six double-digit assist games in a seven-game span.

— If Clark continues to average 8.3 assists per game, she could shatter Alyssa Thomas’ single-season record of 316 set last season.

She needs eight 3s to break Rhyne Howard’s rookie record of 85 set in 2022 and with 22 3s over the final 12 games, she would be the seventh WNBA player with 100 in a season.

In addition to the assists, Clark is the league’s highest-scoring rookie at 17.8 points a game.

Clark, Fever most watched in WNBA

Her performance hasn’t quelled the social media controversies, the banter over how she’s treated by opponents or whether she should have made the U.S. Olympic team. And she continues to be a huge fan favorite. The Fever lead the league in both home attendance (16,956) and road attendance (15,306).

Clark is still must-see TV, too.

The game Friday night on ION drew 1.21 million, nearly three times as many viewers as the Connecticut-Dallas game on the same network that night.

The Fever game Sunday on ABC drew 2.23 million viewers, a sharp uptick from two games in a rare CBS broadcast on Saturday — New York-Las Vegas attracted 874,000 viewers while Minnesota-Washington had 577,000.

Only Washington and Dallas have fewer wins than Indiana (13-15) of the teams televised last weekend.

What’s scary for opponents, Clark and her teammates are still getting to know each other. But as she fuels Indiana’s playoff push, her growth and versatility makes playing together much easier.

“I think it’s just been developing the chemistry with my teammates where they can see it and be on the same page,” Clark said of the turnaround. “Now you see people cutting in fast breaks or Kelsey making a backdoor cut. It’s having that chemistry that’s unspoken, like I’m not telling them to do that, but they can just kind of read my eyes and understand.”

Credit: AP

The U.S. may still have the best team at the Olympics, but at the All-Star Game, they didn’t have all the best players on Saturday night.

Ogunbowale set the All-Star scoring record with 34 points and Clark fell just short of the assist mark in her All-Star debut as the WNBA team beat the U.S. Olympic team 117-109.

It was the second consecutive win for the WNBA All-Star team over the Olympians. The All-Stars also won in 2021 led by Ogunbowale, who was MVP of both that game and this one.

“This is going to help us tremendously. We don’t get that many game opportunities,” said Breanna Stewart who had 31 points to lead the U.S.

”We can go back and watch the film and focus on how we can continue to be better. It was like a little bit of deja vu feeling but just locking in.”

The loss didn’t slow down the Americans in 2021 as they went on to winning their seventh consecutive Olympic gold medal. The U.S. hopes for the same results in Paris later this month. No team in the world could match the depth or talent that the WNBA All-Stars had.

“Is Arike playing for any of these teams we are going to play?” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve deadpanned.

Saturday’s loss came hours after the U.S. men’s Olympic team rallied to beat South Sudan by one point in an exhibition game in London.

The U.S. women’s team will next play Germany in London for an exhibition game Tuesday before going to France for the Olympics. The Americans are in a pool with Belgium, Japan and Germany.

“We have work to do and we know that,” Reeve said.

“Sometimes it’s good, adversity, etc. I don’t think we needed a game like this to have our attention. We know how hard it is to do what we’re trying to do and we have work to do to get there.”

Ogunbowale once again was a thorn in the side of the U.S. team, scoring all of her points in the second half. The 2021 All-Star MVP took over the game in the third quarter scoring 21 points, hitting six of her 10 shots, including five 3-pointers. The U.S. team threw everything at the Dallas Wings star, but they just couldn’t stop her.

Ogunbowale said that WNBA team coach Cheryl Miller said something to her at the half about being more aggressive.

“Told me to take a deep breath and go out and play my game,” she said.

Ogunbowale has been in the U.S. national team pool for the past two Olympics, but didn’t make the roster either time. She pulled her name out of the pool of players early this time around saying the whole process was political.

By the time Ogunbowale was done in the third quarter, the WNBA All-Stars had turned a two-point halftime deficit into an 88-79 lead. She broke Jewell Loyd’s overall All-Star scoring record of 31 set last year with a 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter.

The Olympians, who have only practiced together for two days, never really threatened.

A’ja Wilson added 22.

There was so much hype and energy around this All-Star Game with the debuts of phenomenal rookies Clark and Reese. The pair have helped lift the WNBA to new heights this season with record attendance and viewership.

It was their first time the young stars had ever played together. One of Clark’s 10 assists came to Reese, who finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

“We knew after our little 30 minute practice yesterday that we were going to win,” Reese said. “The tone was set.”

Clark finished one assist short of Sue Bird’s Al-Star record.

“That’s Sue’s record. Can’t take that from her, that’s my homey,” Clark said.

The game was put in Phoenix to celebrate the 20-year career of Mercury star Diana Taurasi and the return of Brittney Griner from her wrongful detainment in Russia in 2022.

“This will be one of the single hardest things to concentrate on. Is actually coaching the team because of what’s happening,” Reeve said. “It is one of the greatest spectacles, I think, in the history of our league.”

While Clark and Reese were given loud ovations from the crowd in pregame introductions, nothing matched the applause for Taurasi, who was playing in her 11th All-Star Game.

She got the scoring started with a 3-pointer from the wing in the back-and-forth first half which saw the U.S. hold a slim 54-52 lead. It didn’t last long as the WNBA team scored nine of the first 11 points in the third quarter to take control.

Credit: AP

Miller instead pointed a finger — at Ogunbowale.

Scoreless in the first half, Ogunbowale scored 21 of her record 34 points in the third quarter to earn MVP honors at the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday night.

“I wasn’t expecting her to say my name — she was talking to the team, but pointing at me,” Ogunbowale said. “She just told me to take a deep breath and play my game.”

Ogunbowale certainly did that.

Playing against the U.S. Olympic team, Ogunwobale spent the first half deferring to teammates, missing the two shots she took.

After the halftime talking to by her Hall of Fame coach, the 5-foot-8 guard turned into the biggest player on the court, scoring on step-back 3-pointers and runners in the lane.

Ogunbowale hit 6 of 10 shots in the third quarter, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range. She kept scoring and Team WNBA turned Team USA’s last domestic warm-up before the Paris Olympics into a 117-109 loss. She hit eight 3-pointers and finished 10 for 20 from the floor with six assists to become the third two-time MVP in WNBA All-Star Game history.

“She was just in the zone and they played really good defense multiple times,” said Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, a player known for going on heaters during her career at Iowa. “There’s just nothing you can do in those situations where she’s making step back 3s, one-legged floaters, things like that. You, you literally can’t guard her.”

Ogunbowale has shown a knack for scoring in bunches throughout her career, starting with her college days, when she hit game-winning shots in the Final Four and national championship game during Notre Dame’s 2018 title run.

Ogunbowale has been one of the WNBA’s best scorers during five seasons with the Dallas Wings, averaging 22.3 points per game this season. She was the All-Star Game MVP the last time Team USA played Team WNBA in an Olympic warm-up, scoring 26 points.

“It’s just a testimony to my hard work,” Ogunbowale said. “Regardless of win, lose or draw, I’m just going to play my game and that’s what I’ve been doing for Dallas. This is good to get a win, even though it doesn’t count.”

Credit: AP

Staley, coach of the national champion South Carolina women’s basketball team, received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. Her friend, Tennessee standout Nicki McCray-Penson, died of breast cancer and Staley’s sister was diagnosed with leukemia.

“I must confess I feel a little undeserving of this recognition. Past recipients of the Jimmy V Perseverance Award have faced incredible challenges and proven themselves as true warriors,” Staley said.

“I have merely been a spectator to such immense courage and resilience.”

Staley’s Gamecocks won the best team award.

Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces won as best women’s sports athlete and as best WNBA player.

“It’s crazy to think that a young girl that didn’t even want to play basketball is now up in the running for even one ESPY,” she said in videotaped remarks.

The best men’s sports athlete was Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He also claimed best NFL player.

“I been around this kid for a few years now and to watch him grow as a football player, as a teammate, as a leader has been phenomenal,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, accepting on Mahomes’ behalf, “but more than that to watch him grow as a father and a husband has been the best part.”

Biles earned best comeback athlete weeks before she competes at the Paris Olympics. The most decorated gymnast in history withdrew from the team competition at the Tokyo Games to prioritize her mental health.

Clark of the Indiana Fever also earned two trophies, for record-breaking performance in becoming the NCAA’s all-time career scoring leader, and as best college athlete, for her Iowa basketball career.

“I’m a little bit busy in Indianapolis,” Clark said via videotape. “It was a special year in women’s athletics.”

Watkins won best breakthrough athlete, taking the first award after the show began 30 minutes late because of President Joe Biden’s news conference.

The Southern California basketball star had a standout freshman season, leading the Trojans to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in decades.

“This is crazy,” Watkins said.

“I want to thank all the great, powerful women who came before me that made this possible.”

Williams joked during her monologue at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and later sang after Ciara opened the show with a musical performance.

Williams’ older sister, Venus, came out and joked that she had actually been asked to host and the siblings got into a mock argument.

“You may be wondering why I’m doing this,” noted fashion fiend Serena said. “Any opportunity to wear 16 outfits in three hours, I’m going to take it.”

The ABC telecast returned from a commercial break in the final minutes and began repeating the presentations of two earlier awards. Williams’ goodbye also was cut off, as were the final credits. ABC said a technical glitch in the feed affected the live show in the East and Central time zones. It was to be corrected for tape-delayed viewing in the West.

Prince Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, and he mentioned the late Army Ranger’s mother who had criticized ESPN for honoring the royal.

With wife Meghan joining in a standing ovation, the Duke of Sussex accepted the trophy from three service veterans who were injured during their tours of duty. Harry served in the British military for 10 years, including two tours in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot.

He created the Invictus Games in 2014, which serves as a multi-sport, paralympic-style games for wounded or injured servicemen and veterans.

“This award belongs to them, not to me,” Harry said.

Tillman’s mother, Mary Tillman, had criticized ESPN’s choice of Harry, saying there are recipients working in the veteran community who would have been more fitting. Harry thanked Tillman’s widow, Marie, for her attendance and also acknowledged Mary Tillman.

“Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect,” he said. “The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”

Retired NFL safety Steve Gleason was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. He was diagnosed with ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2011. His nonprofit, Team Gleason, helps people with ALS live purposeful lives by providing programming and support services.

Gleason received a standing ovation when he took the stage in a motorized chair and was kissed by former New Orleans Saints teammate Drew Brees. Gleason’s voice was heard through special technology. His young son, Rivers, stood next to his father and held the trophy.

“For me, this honor represents some encouragement and triumph for the families currently living with ALS, all the people living with disabilities or other illnesses,” he said.

“I suppose if you have never experienced fear, isolation or suffering, you can roll your sanctified ass right out of here.”

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers was best MLB player; Connor McDavid of the Stanley Cup runner-up Edmonton Oilers was best NHL player; and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks was best NBA player.

Cooper Flagg, a senior guard-forward from Montverde (Florida) Academy, and track and field athlete Sadie Engelhardt of Ventura (California) High won the Gatorade National Players of the Year.

The three-hour show on ABC was delayed when Biden’s nationally televised news conference started late and ran 30 minutes into the show’s timeslot.

Credit: AP

Playing in front of 20,366 fans in the largest regular-season crowd at a WNBA game since 1999, the two-time defending champion Aces won their fifth straight.

A’ja Wilson added 28 points and nine rebounds, while Jackie Young had 15 points and 10 assists. Kiah Stokes grabbed 12 rebounds.

While Plum led all scorers, she showered Wilson with compliments postgame.

“You know she really averages 28 a game, like that’s just a normal day at the office,” said Plum, who has 3,002 points, good for 87th on the WNBA career list.

“That’s absurd. You realize that, right? And everyone’s doubling and tripling and game-planning, and it really doesn’t matter. I think that we need to put into perspective. Just another night at the office, we take it for granted, but we’re watching one of the greatest players of all time in front of our eyes.”

Indiana’s All-Star contingent of Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark combined for 54 points — 78.2% of the team’s scoring. All three were named to the WNBA All-Star team that will play the U.S. Olympic team in Phoenix on July 20.

Plum, Wilson, Young and Chelsea Gray are all on Team USA.

Mitchell led the Fever with 23 points, while Clark finished with 13 points and 11 assists. Boston had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and NaLyssa Smith grabbed 14 boards for Indiana.

“I think we missed quite a few shots that we usually make,” Clark said.

“It’s tough to beat a team like this not being able to score the ball at the rate they did. … There were moments where we played really good basketball, our third quarter was really great and we come out in the fourth and we didn’t start well at all and the game was kind of over from there.”

The Fever did their best to duplicate their comeback on Sunday, when they rallied from 15 down to beat Phoenix. After falling behind by as much as 11 early in the third quarter, the Fever rode the hot hand of Clark to draw closer.

After a dismal first half, Clark keyed a 12-6 run to start the third. The Fever trailed by four heading into the final quarter.

But the Aces opened the fourth on a 14-0 run. When Mitchell scored Indiana’s first points of the final period it was too late.

Las Vegas used a 15-8 run to open the second quarter, bolstered by 10 points from Wilson, to open a 41-32 lead. That’s when Clark scored her first bucket of the game, getting the Fever within seven. The Aces carried a 46-37 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Clark struggled from the field in the first 20 minutes, making just 1 of 7 from the floor, including going 0 for 4 from 3-point range.

UP NEXT

Fever: Host New York on Saturday.

Aces: Host Washington on Thursday

Credit: AP

The pair of remarkable rookies were selected Tuesday by a combination of votes from the media, players and fans as well as the league’s 12 coaches to play in the game in Phoenix on July 20. It’s the 20th All-Star Game in the league’s history.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been her teammate before, even at USA Basketball. I know people will be really excited about it, but I hope it doesn’t take away from everyone else,” Clark said.

“This is a huge accomplishment for everybody on Team USA and everyone on Team WNBA. They all deserve the same praise. I don’t want it to take away from any of that and be the focal point of All-Star weekend because that’s not fair to them.”

Clark was the leading vote-getter from the fans, receiving 700,735 with her Indiana teammate Aliyah Boston finishing second 72,000 votes behind. Reese was fifth with 381,518 votes. Wilson and Stewart were third and fourth. Wilson garnered 607,300 votes and Stewart had 424,135.

Clark and Reese have been a boon for the WNBA in ratings, merchandise sales and attendance. They are also playing well on the court with Clark third in assists with 6.9 and Reese leading the WNBA in rebounds at 11.4.

“They just told me I’m an All-Star. I’m just so happy,” an emotional Reese said after her Sky beat the Atlanta Dream.

“I know the work I’ve put in. Coming into this league so many people doubted me and didn’t think my game would translate and I wouldn’t be the player I was in college, or better, or would be worse, or wouldn’t be where I am right now. But I trust the process and I’m thankful I dropped to No. 7 (pick in the draft) and was able to come to Chicago.”

It’s the eighth time that two rookies have been on the team. The last was Shoni Schimmel and Chiney Ogwumike in 2014.

Joining the rookies on the WNBA team were DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones of Connecticut, Allisha Gray of Atlanta, Dearica Hamby of Los Angeles, Jonquel Jones of New York, Kayla McBride of Minnesota, Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana, Nneka Ogwumike of Seattle and Arike Ogunbowale of Dallas.

Ten years after becoming the majority owner the team’s value has increased and other former professional athletes are buying into the league.

The WNBA is positioning itself to be a good long-term investment with a looming TV deal and increased attention around a rookie class headlined by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

“It wasn’t before,” Johnson said about the WNBA being a good investment in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

“It was, we love the game. We love women’s basketball, we love the fact that we had a chance to buy the Sparks when it was the No. 1 brand. The brand everyone knows, but now it’s a great investment. It’s only going to get better.”

Others have taken notice the last few years.

Dwyane Wade is a partial owner of the Chicago Sky, buying in last year. Tom Brady did the same with the Las Vegas Aces. Alex Rodriguez is a limited partner with the Minnesota Lynx.

Former WNBA players Sue Bird and Renee Montgomery have joined the ownership groups of the Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream, respectively.

“They know the game is exploding, they know this is the right time,” Johnson said.

Sportico valued four teams at over $100 million. Ownership groups of the expansion teams in Golden State and Toronto that will begin play in 2025 and 2026 anted up over $100 million that included record-breaking expansion fees, investment in the player experience, best-in-class facilities, and start-up business operations costs. The Dream were the last expansion team and that ownership group paid a $10 million entry fee in 2008, which didn’t include the operational costs.

Marc Ganis, the president and co-founder of the sports business consulting firm Sportscorp, said the WNBA looks to be on the right path to become a good long-term investment but is still being subsidized by the NBA. He said a new TV deal would go a long way in increasing team values.

Ganis is not surprised by growing numbers of pro athletes joining ownership groups.

“There are multiple purposes behind former athletes and current ones investing in smaller sports and particularly women’s sports,” he said. “For the most part they aren’t investing a lot of money and they are getting a tremendous amount of social credit. They are getting value out of it even if the finances of the team itself don’t work out.”

Wade and Johnson both say they know there are other former players looking to invest in the WNBA. Tennis great Serena Williams said a month ago she was “super-interested” in getting involved with team ownership.

“I think it’s a great sign and signal that it’s a smart business investment,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “You can’t turn on a broadcast of a sporting event without some ad spot. It wasn’t happening at all when I came into this league. Really thrilled about that. Everyone is talking about the WNBA, the good and the bad.”

While Johnson got involved to save a franchise, Brady said his part of his interest in women’s sports goes back in part to his sisters.

“My love for sports began when I was kid, tagging along to my older sisters’ games,” the seven-time Super Bowl champion wrote in an email. “I have always been a huge fan and supporter of women’s sports. When I went to my first Aces game, I was so energized by their fans and inspired by the incredible talent of the players.

“The WNBA continues to expand and make a global impact, showing its commitment to empowering future generations of athletes. I am very proud to be a member of the Aces family and help grow the sport.”

Wade had always been a fan of his hometown team the Chicago Sky. His mother, JoLinda, got season tickets when the franchise first came into existence in 2006 and it was important to the Hall of Fame NBA player that his mom and sister also had ownership stakes in the team.

“I would love to do this, but only if my mom and my sister can be a part of this, you know, in a way that they really feel a part of it and not just to get to a game,” Wade said of his discussions with the Sky ownership group.

“And so they graciously said yes and and to be a part of the ownership group. I love that my mom can walk around and say she’s invested into the Chicago Sky.”

Montgomery saw the potential value of the WNBA as a player in the league before she made the move to the ownership side with the Dream.

“Investing works well when you see the trend coming,” she said. “Me being in women’s sports I understand the game, understand the value of the women’s game. People didn’t see that value that I saw before the wave happened.”

Being owners in the league has also provided the group of former pros a chance to have friendly rivalries with each other.

“I love beating my friends,” Johnson said laughing. “Right now I can’t say nothing about Tom since they are back to back champions.”

Brady echoed Johnson’s sentiment.

“Who’s not a fan of a little trash talk?! Magic knows it’s all in good fun, and the Aces make it too easy!” Brady said in the email. “The players are phenomenal athletes with an amazing work ethic. They continue to prove they are the toughest team to compete against and I get to be in a front row seat watching and admiring.””

Wade’s Sky beat Johnson’s Sparks in the team’s first meeting last month. They won’t play again until after the Olympic break next month.

“Of course. You want to be able to send that text message,” Wade said smiling. “That’s the cool thing, it’s an unwritten, unspoken thing when your teams are playing each other there’s an automatic (trash) talking.”

Credit: AP

The former Iowa star agreed with her college rival.

But that isn’t likely to defuse what happens next.

After the Indiana Fever rookie wound up on the ground courtesy of Reese’s right elbow striking Clark’s head on a drive to the basket, the referees used replay review to upgrade the foul call to a flagrant-1 and almost assuredly setting off yet another debate about the contact Clark seems to be facing each game.

“I can’t control the refs and they affected the game, obviously, a lot tonight,” Reese said after finishing with 11 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and five fouls in the Chicago Sky’s 91-83 loss at Indiana . “Y’all are probably going to play that clip like 20 times before Monday.”

Naturally, it didn’t take long for the highlight to start making the social media rounds.

But regardless of whether the elbow was intentional, the result was the same — Clark taking a head shot most sports leagues want to prevent.

Clark’s response was to walk calmly to the free-throw line late in the third quarter, make both shots and help lead her team to its second straight victory before again downplaying the situation in her postgame news conference.

“It is what it is, you know, she’s trying to make a play on the ball and get the block,” Clark said after finishing with 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in her best all-around game as a pro. “I mean it happens and then those free throws when you have to shoot with nobody at the line are kind of hard. So I was just focusing on making those free throws.”

Still, Sunday’s scene was quite different from the one that played out two weeks earlier between these same teams in front of another sellout crowd in Indianapolis.

Back then, Sky guard Chennedy Carter hit Clark on an inbound play that sent the unsuspecting guard to the ground. Carter was tagged with an away-from-the-ball call, which resulted in one free throw and league officials later upgraded the call to a flagrant-1.

Fever fans serenaded Carter and Reese with cheers any time either was called for a foul in Sunday’s rematch.

No, Fever coach Christie Sides wasn’t happy to see her star player hit the deck yet again, but at least this time, she thought they got it right.

“The right call was made in that moment,” Sides said. “Just make the right call in those moments, and we can move forward. But when we don’t make the right call in those moments, that’s when there’s a problem and they made the right call tonight.”

Reese, clearly, did not agree.

“I think we went up really strong a lot of times and didn’t get a lot of calls,” she said. “Going back and looking, I’ve seen a lot of calls that weren’t made, I guess some people get a special whistle.”

Credit: AP