"She's tough": Giannis Antetokounmpo hops on Caitlin Clark bandwagon after LeBron James lauds Fever star's imperious comeback

Giannis Antetokounmpo was among the NBA superstars to laud Caitlin Clark after her imperious return to court on Saturday against the New York Liberty. Clark dominated the unbeaten defending champs with 32 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, shooting 55.0%, including 7 for 14 from 3.

The 2024 Rookie of the Year led the Fever to a convincing 102-88 win, avoiding a two-game losing streak for the Fever and ending the Liberty's 9-0 run to begin the season. Amid her explosive outing, Clark had a 38-second stretch in which she scored nine points to close the first quarter.

ESPN's TikTok account posted the clip in which Giannis Antetokounmpo was among the notable personalities to reply to Caitlin Clark, saying:

"She's tough💯"

Here's the video:

View on TikTok

Here's Giannis' comment:

LeBron James gave a shoutout to Clark multiple times, too. He tweeted, saying:

James also commented on her Instagram post with a short "welcome back" message.

Clark had been out for the past two weeks with a quad strain, forcing her to miss the last five games. The Fever dropped to 4-5 in her absence and are .500 again after Saturday's emphatic win.

Caitlin Clark on draining three consecutive 3-pointers

Caitlin Clark's three consecutive 3-pointers set the tone for her spectacular showing against the New York Liberty. Coming into that contest, not only was Clark coming off a lengthy absence, but she was also not in form. In her four appearances to begin the 2025 season before her injury, Clark 40.3% from the field, including 31.4% from 3.

In two games before her injury, Clark was 2 for 17 from 3-point range. After seeing three shots go down one after the other, the former No. 1 pick knew she was about to have one of the breakout games. Here's what she said about that moment (via ESPN):

"I saw three in a row go in, so that gives you a lot of confidence. Even in the second half, they all came off my hand feeling really good."

Caitlin Clark was itching to get back on the court, as per Fever coach Stephanie White. It was the first time since college that she missed a significant stretch because of injury. The Fever will be glad that Clark is back, not just for the record but also with her form.

About the author

Arhaan Raje is an Assistant Content Manager and Senior Writer with Sportskeeda's NBA/WNBA team with four years of experience.

Arhaan focuses on features, trends, listicles, and the latest rumors and reports circling the league's top teams and players. He emphasizes detailed research to create impactful content for readers. A fan of Xs and Os, Arhaan provides technical deep dives in his reporting.

Arhaan completed his bachelor's degree in BBA in Media and Entertainment Management from Mumbai, India.

Arhaan admires the killer mentality of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. He respects LeBron James for being a role model on and off the court. The bold and decisive Gregg Popovich stands out as Arhaan's favorite basketball coach. LeBron's epic chase-down block in the 2016 NBA Finals has a special place in Arhaan's basketball memories.

He has interviewed former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton and Ronnie 2K, the face of NBA2k and Marketing Director.

Sports isn't the only passion he has pursued professionally. Arhaan is also into performing arts in the music industry as a percussionist.

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Edited by Arhaan Raje