Sabrina Ionescu walked so Caitlin Clark could run. The former Oregon superstar was once in Clark’s shoes, having been the No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick following a historic career with the Ducks.

Having walked in her shoes before, Ionescu knows what Clark is going through. And instead of trying to initiate a rivalry with the Indiana Fever rookie, Ionescu has taken the role of friend and mentor. In other words, she’s doing what she can to help Clark during her rookie season.

Ahead of Saturday’s showdown between the Fever and Liberty at the Barclays Center, Ionescu sent a heartfelt message to Caitlin Clark which brought fans to tears.

“What you did in college was enough, you deserve to still have that confidence when you join the league,” Ionescu told Clark before the game.

New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) talks about the shooting contest against Steph Curry during NBA All Star practice press conferences at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

That’s the kind of support Caitlin Clark needs for what’s shaping up to be a rough rookie season. The Fever lost their third straight game to start the 2024 WNBA season on Saturday, falling to Ionescu and the Liberty 91-80.

Ionescu had 12 points, six assists and one rebound in New York’s win. Clark, meanwhile, had the best game of her young WNBA career, dropping 22 points to go along with eight assists and six rebounds.

The Fever’s schedule doesn’t get any easier moving forward as they rematch vs. the Connecticut Sun on Monday.