The Indiana Fever’s first day of training camp was meant to build chemistry. Instead, it ignited controversy and created a dismal moment for fans watching Caitlin Clark and Raven Johnson. Sunday marked the first time Clark and Johnson were on the practice court in Fever jerseys, and, for all money, it didn’t go as well as planned, drawing the community’s attention.
The moment unfolded during a team gesture where the players were high-fiving each other. It’s a routine gesture that occasionally occurs during the team’s training sessions. A basketball page on X shared a glimpse of this gesture. “The Indiana Fever players high-fiving each other at training camp. 
,” the caption of the post read.
But amid this high-five practice, a striking incident came to light when both Clark and Johnson refrained from high-fiving in the moment, which became the highlight for the fans.
The Indiana Fever players high-fiving each other at training camp.
pic.twitter.com/gytDnhyfeZ
— I talk hoops
(@trendyhoopstars) April 19, 2026
For context, both players have a long history together, dating back to a specific moment in their college days.
It was during the 2023 Final Four game between Iowa and South Carolina. Two formidable backcourt players, Clark and Johnson, were locking horns in the game. The high-stakes action eventually culminated in a Clark gesture, in which the Iowa guard waved off Johnson from guarding her near the three-point line. It caused a stir for Johnson in her immediate career, as she faced many trolls and hate on social media.
Now that small gesture might be leading to another fire as Johnson and Clark’s pro careers intersect. In the video, it’s quite clear that Johnson high-fived almost everyone on the team, including her former South Carolina teammate Aliyah Boston. But that was not the case when Clark’s turn came, as both players hesitated to make a move in the moment, and fans have a lot to say about it.
Fans Highlight Major Consequences of Caitlin Clark-Raven Johnson Rift on Indiana Fever
“No eye contact, either its gone be a drama filled season,” wrote a fan.
As reality set in, and as the video suggests, things are far from just hesitant between Clark and Johnson. No high-fives and no eye contact between two players on the same team can never be an indication of a healthy team, but a second netizen offered a different take that attempts to downplay the perceived rift.
“The coach will need to pull the rookie aside and explain the way shit works, or she’ll not make the club,” commented another.
The comment makes a lot of sense from a broader perspective, especially if the rift between Clark and Johnson is still prominent as it seems to be. For context, the Fever does have a star-studded squad for the upcoming season, following their stellar free-agent signings. The franchise was able to bring most of its core back and add some new faces, like Johnson and Justine Pissott.
It shows that Fever’s strength is immense, making them a perfect candidate for the WNBA Championships. But for it to turn into a reality, the team’s chemistry will have to bloom as well. As a result, the Fever head coach, Stephanie White, must step in quickly to put the brakes on the seeming rift.
“Raven moving away from CC is weird SMH,” chimed in another fan.
It’s quite understandable from the video that Raven Johnson took a small step back when Caitlin Clark was approaching her for a high-five. Of course, it isn’t certain what Johnson’s motive was, but it seemed that Johnson tried to dodge CC’s high five, unlike the time when other players approached her, which the fans found a bit weird.
“Caitlin vs raven. The waive off saga continues,” summed up another netizen.
“Raven being a little punk. Gonna be a fun season on the bench. 
You can take the person out of SC, but you can’t take the SC out of the person,” stated another.
Of course, the waive-off incident that Johnson faced from Clark during the 2023 Final Four was immensely disheartening for her, especially considering the mental aspect of it that led the former to depression. But nearly three years down the line, many thought that the coldness between these two backcourt players had settled. Furthermore, a few days back, Johnson herself gave Clark some major props when asked in an interview.
“She is a phenomenal player. I mean, with the things she does, it’s bar standard. She can shoot the ball, can lead a team, and they win. Like, she has a winning mentality. And I think that’s the biggest thing,” Johnson said. Thus, after such high praise, it wasn’t expected that there would still be dissent when the two players met at training camp.
But as the video shows, the mutual feeling is yet to develop between Raven Johnson and Caitlin Clark. From far off, it’s difficult to say which player was at fault for this instance in the camp.
At this point, the team and the Fever community will just need to hope that both Caitlin Clark and Johnson come to terms with each other going forward in the season, especially with the season set to tip off in a few weeks. The good news for them is that the team will spend a few more days in the training camp along with the two pre-season games, which will give the players the perfect spot to gel together.
