Caitlin Clark, a rookie with the Indiana Fever, has garnered a lot of attention lately thanks to her storied collegiate career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, during which she became one of the best female prospects in history. The WNBA’s popularity is skyrocketing because to Clark and her legion of supporters.

Nevertheless, the Fever were 0-5 into Friday night’s match against the Los Angeles Sparks, so there have been some obstacles in Clark’s debut season thus far. Because Clark was sure to turn heads no matter where she went, the Crypto.com Arena was expected to have a sold-out crowd.

Clark recorded 11 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 steals in 37 minutes of action in her debut with the Lakers. Her first WNBA victory came in front of a raucous crowd, and she did it despite shooting just 4-for-14 from the field. After the game, Clark wore the sneakers that Kobe Bryant wore and paid tribute to the great, according to WNBA reporter Nick Hamilton:

“Kobe is unmatched, and his shoes are second to none. You have to have that mindset as a competitor, I suppose; I had them on tonight. Those are the moments you seek. You relish the chance to step up when your squad needs a game-changer. I managed to get the picture off by creating a little separation. I wish I could have gotten to more of those tonight. We accomplished what was required of us, nevertheless.

In particular, Bryant frequently accompanied her daughter Gianna to WNBA games, and she was a staunch advocate for the league’s female players. Seeing Clark contribute to the creation of what is likely the most popular season ever in our league is fantastic.

Seeing Clark play in Fever games would have been an obvious highlight for the five-time champion. While Bryant’s impact extends far and wide, the 22-year-old Clark will always remember the unforgettable day she became the first WNBA player to wear Kobe’s jersey to a championship game.