For all her 20+ records would suggest, by no means did Caitlin Clark have an easy rookie year. 17% of the league’s flagrant fouls being against her hinted as much. The 23-year-old started slow, unaware of what she was truly stepping into, of what the league’s physicality meant. But come Olympic break, Clark seemed like a different player. The 17-point average had jumped up to 19.8. One would attribute it to the Olympic snub. But is that really the case?
It is no myth by now that Clark received harsh rookie treatment when she set foot on the professional hardwood. Sophie Cunningham even went on to reveal the Phoenix locker room conversation about targeting the newbie. But just when people dismiss it as nothing short of a tradition in the league, the Fever sensation reveals it was one hard task to get through.
On Bird’s Eye View with Sue Bird, when the Seattle Storm icon asked Clark what the biggest adjustment in her rookie year was, she did not shy away. “I think just how much I was getting pressured. Like it was just like constant full court,” the former Hawkeye admitted. “I think that’s why I was so frustrated maybe early in my rookie year. It’s like ‘why is it not coming in? This is stupid. I am two shots away from being really really good.”
Stephanie White has often revealed how, as an opponent coach, she has drawn plays against Clark, and how it has been different in covering her– not just by the Connecticut Sun, but rest of the teams too. While it did relax over time, the Fever guard found it hard to get out and play her hoop. But it took her one game before the Olympics to rise against it all.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) yells in excitement Saturday, May 17, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Chicago Sky, 93-58.
“I just kind of was like, ‘screw it, I’m gonna hoop.’ I just started being aggressive, I was getting after defense, I was shooting the ball without thinking,” Clark added, speaking about her breakout game against the Mystics. Yes, she had 30 points in their first clash, taking home the win, 88-81. But she wasn’t talking about that. Right ahead of the Olympic break, Clark put up another 29-point piece, to go with 13 assists, 5 steals, and 5 rebounds. There was no stopping her after that.
“Hey coach, they woke up a monster,” she had said about a month before, when she was snubbed from the Olympic team. It took a while, but CC did wake up. In the 15 games that followed the announcement, she put up 18.2 and 9.5 assists. Post-Olympic break? It got even better. 23.5 points over four games! She didn’t hold back from trash-talking too. She took it up against Diana Taurasi herself.
But while Clark was able to overcome her rookie year hurdles, her sophomore year hasn’t been getting better.
Caitlin Clark misses 10th straight game as the wait for update continues
Caitlin Clark’s latest injury against the Connecticut Sun rang all the alarm bells around the basketball world. Her expressions at the end of the game were sure to send the fans into a panic. Nor did it help that the Indiana Fever failed to provide a concrete update regarding her. With the last major update being just a confirmation of the injury, fans are eagerly waiting for a return to play timeline.
Especially after losing their backup point guards, Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson, the urgency to have CC back has increased. However, as per Coach White, Caitlin is still day to day, and they are not going to rush her.
In a prior update, Stephanie White announced that Caitlin has started running; however, after that, there have been no further updates. With a 5-game win streak, there was hope that the Fever could stay afloat in CC’s absence, and she could make a full recovery. But the team is now in a tricky position. They are down 3 point guards already. At this crucial juncture of the season, it will be crucial to see if the Indiana Fever sticks with their policy.
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