Fever's 0-3 Start
Despite a challenging start to the WNBA season, Caitlin Clark, the former standout from Iowa, remains optimistic. The Indiana Fever, with Clark at the helm, are off to a 0-3 start. However, Clark’s performance in the 91-80 loss to the New York Liberty, where she posted a career-high 22 points and eight assists, hints at her potential.
Clark acknowledged the strength of their opponents, stating, “These teams, New York and the Connecticut Sun, are among the league’s finest. While our performance isn’t excusable, we’re a young team. A bit of grace is needed. As we continue to play together, our chemistry will undoubtedly improve.”
Clark’s journey in the WNBA started on a tough note. In her debut, she scored 20 points but had a shooting efficiency of just 5-15 from the field and recorded ten turnovers, a record for a WNBA rookie. This significantly contributed to Indiana’s 21-point loss to the Sun.
Her first home game was no less challenging, with the Fever falling 102-66 to the defending finalists, the New York Liberty. Clark managed to control her turnovers but scored only nine points on 2-of-8 shooting. Despite these early setbacks, Clark sees each game as a learning opportunity.
Reflecting on her first week in the WNBA, Clark said, “It’s been an enjoyable experience. This is what you sign up for. This is the best of the best. We would have preferred better performances in the first two games, but it’s a great learning opportunity for us.”
In the recent game against the Liberty, Clark committed eight turnovers, some due to mishandled passes by her teammates. However, she efficiently scored 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting and exploited the Liberty’s defense to accumulate eight assists. Despite the early struggles, Clark’s potential shines through, promising better days ahead for the Indiana Fever.
Reigning MVP Breanna Stewart, who scored 24 points with a remarkable 70 percent true shooting, shared some advice for Clark and other rookies. "Every rookie is gonna come in and kind of just have adversity from the beginning," Stewart told reporter Russell Steinberg. "My advice to any rookie is to just continue to grind and stay with it. Figure out ways that you can continue to get better. What you did in college was enough, and you deserve to still have that confidence coming into the league, but there's so much room for improvement."
