Some of the raucous crowd was there to watch Caitlin Clark — the Fever’s wunderkind rookie — play her first professional game in New York City, some were Liberty fans, and more than a few seemed to be there to cheer for both sides.
There were celebrities sitting courtside, like Billie Jean King, Jason Sudeikis, Megan Rapinoe and the actress Amy Ryan.
And there was basketball royalty in the building as well, including Sue Bird, Pau Gasol and Dawn Staley, the coach of the South Carolina women’s basketball team that beat Ms. Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in this year’s N.C.A.A.
tournament final.
Every time the Jumbotron flashed one of the famous faces, the crowd seemed to get even more electric.
Persons:
Caitlin Clark —, —, Billie Jean King, Jason Sudeikis, Megan Rapinoe, Amy Ryan, Sue Bird, Pau Gasol, Dawn Staley
Organizations:
Barclays Center, New York Liberty, Indiana, Liberty, Carolina women’s, Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes
Locations:
New York City