Indiana basketball fans have long believed in momentum. Right now, it feels like Caitlin Clark brought a whole truckload of it to the Hoosier State. Since Clark touched down in Indianapolis as the top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, basketball fortunes across the city have shifted, starting with the Fever, but now unmistakably rubbing off on the Pacers too.
Clark has turned Gainbridge Fieldhouse into the most electric basketball arena in the country. With her leading the Fever and often courtside for Pacers games, Indiana’s hoops scene hasn’t seen this much buzz in decades. The numbers back it up.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Pacers are a perfect 8-0 in the 2025 NBA Playoffs when Clark is in the building. That streak includes their latest win, a Game 3 NBA Finals win over the Thunder, where Tyrese Haliburton dropped 22 points, matching Clark’s jersey number.
Clark’s Influence Beyond The Court
Clark isn’t just generating headlines on the court. According to finance professor Ryan Brewer, she’s driving what could be a $1 billion revenue season for the WNBA. She accounted for 26.5% of the league’s economic activity in 2024, with massive boosts in ticket sales, merchandise, and TV viewership. The Fever is making millions. So is the league. But it’s her off-court presence that’s now creating waves for the Pacers.
Caitlin Clark may be the Pacers’ good luck charm pic.twitter.com/uuo22d2L0n
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 12, 2025
Each time Clark shows up at a Pacers game, something shifts. The team plays looser, the crowd grows louder, and the energy in Gainbridge hits a different gear. Fans have started to see her as a good luck charm. The Pacers haven’t lost a playoff game with her in the stands. That’s not superstition anymore, that’s a pattern.
Indiana’s run to its first NBA Finals since 2000 has already included dominant wins over the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Knicks. The last time the Pacers beat the Knicks in the playoffs was also back in 2000. Clark wasn’t around then. But this time, with her courtside and the city buzzing, the Pacers look like they believe anything is possible. And so does everyone watching.
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