LAS VEGAS — The Indiana Fever have brought some superstition with them into the WNBA playoff semifinals.
It started when Caitlin Clark, who is out for the season because of a right groin injury and left ankle bone bruise, debuted black Nike Air Force 1s ahead of the Fever‘s first-round Game 2 against the Atlanta Dream on Sept. 16. She walked on the court to big reactions from teammates Aliyah Boston and Sophie Cunningham, with Boston exclaiming “Black forces? Standing on business!”
A few hours later, the Fever had a win under their belt, evening the series 1-1.
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Clark wore the all-black shoes again Thursday, when the Fever returned to Atlanta for a winner-take-all Game 3. Indiana came out of that game with an improbable berth to the WNBA semifinals, the franchise’s first in 10 years, after only leading for seven seconds in the second half.
And the superstition was born. In their on-court celebration, Clark’s took the shoe off of her foot, raising it into the air like a trophy.
“I mean, they’re working, so,” Lexie Hull said following the Game 3 win. “We told her she’s bringing them in her bag, wearing them every day.”
Clark leaned into it as the No. 6-seed Fever headed to Las Vegas to take on the No. 2 Aces, walking into the arena in black and white Nikes. Cunningham asked her where the black Air Forces were, and Clark responded with “don’t worry, I’ve got them.”
Clark changed into an all-black outfit for the game, including the black Air Force 1s. And the Fever shocked the Aces, winning for the first time in franchise history in Las Vegas to take a 1-0 lead in the semifinals.
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Clark’s black Air Force 1s are 3-0.
Is it the reason they’ve won three straight games? Surely not. But the Fever aren’t taking any chances.
Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@gannett.com or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67. Get IndyStar’s Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Caitlin Clark Fever newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Caitlin Clark shoes: Fever record with black Nike Air Force 1s WNBA playoffs
