Caitlin Clark proved to be an effective leader for the Indiana Fever, bringing the team to the Playoffs for the first time since 2016. Despite her impressive journey, Clark admitted to her struggles leading the team.
Despite Clark’s debut at the WNBA last season, she wasn’t a rookie in the leadership role. She brought the Iowa Hawkeyes to consecutive national finals appearances, a feat never achieved before. She also garnered multiple prestigious achievements throughout her college stint.
As she entered the pro level, Clark effectively brought her college success to the Fever. However, the 22-year-old revealed she had a share of challenges in leading her new WNBA teammates.
During her appearance in the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast, Caitlin Clark shared her candid reaction to being the Fever’s chief.
“You come in as a rookie. … You’re trying to figure out a new environment, new teammates. You don’t want to say too much, you don’t want to say too little and it’s just so hard. … You’re already highly thought of. People are turning to you to be something or be someone,” Clark said.
“I don’t know what to say, I don’t know how they’re going to react.”
You could tell Caitlin didn’t want to come in and try to take over at the beginning of the year. Good clip pic.twitter.com/FwACWEEeAW
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) January 2, 2025
Despite their cold 1-8 start, Caitlin Clark brought the Fever to a 20-20 standing, contrasting their 13-27 record during the 2023 season. She averaged 19.2 points and 5.7 rebounds. Her 8.4 average and 337 made assists are the highest all-time for a rookie.
Clark’s teammates are also a huge factor in the Fever’s success. Some of those are Aliyah Boston, the first pick of the 2023 WNBA draft, and veteran Kelsey Mitchell, who garnered two All-Star appearances.
The Indiana Fever seek a higher standing this May, where they’ll immediately open the WNBA spotlight against the Chicago Sky.
Caitlin Clark gives theory on the NBA’s declining ratings
WNBA star Caitlin Clark explains the NBA’s ongoing decline in viewership. During her “New Heights” podcast appearance, Clark shared how fans hardly appreciate the league’s players due to their unmatched talent.
Clark added that NBA fans missed the league’s physicality, which had become its trademark decades ago. For her, people believe today’s players have become softer due to the changing strategies and playstyle.
Despite her reasons, the former Iowa Hawkeyes acknowledges the change within the NBA and will positively change the league:
“That’s what’s great about basketball, it’s always evolving. It’s going to be different from when MJ played, and it’s going to be different in 10 years to what it is now,” Clark said.
Caitlin Clark also changed WNBA’s viewership drastically, with many fans willing to see her talent on the court. Her popularity brought revenue and viewership for her league, which might’ve also affected the NBA.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
