Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was named WNBA Rookie of the Year and included in the league’s first team in 2024. Despite initial challenges, the star proved her worth.
The expectation surrounding the draft’s number 1 pick was intense, especially after a season start with a 1-8 record for the Fever. However, the team recovered, finishing with a 20-20 record and achieving a playoff spot for the first time since 2016.
Clark acknowledges that the first weeks were difficult, but he managed to overcome them.
This season, with the home opener against the Chicago Sky on Saturday, Clark feels much more comfortable.
Honestly, I don’t even really remember the first game from last year. Maybe that’s a good thing. I think this year is about going out there and having fun and being confident. I’ve been in this league for a year. I know I belong. I know I can perform and I can make my teammates better every night. And that’s my job.
Caitlin Clark
Clark led the WNBA in assists (8.4 per game) and three-pointers (122) last season, averaging 19.2 points and 5.7 rebounds. Although the Fever were swept by the Sun in the first round, reaching the postseason was a great achievement for the franchise.
There’s a lot to build on for Clark, the 2023 draft number 1, Aliyah Boston, and the Fever, under the direction of new coach Stephanie White.
Clark compared her first year in the WNBA to the experience of being a freshman in high school and then in college.
You arrive at a new chapter in your life. You are trying to prove to yourself, to everyone, that you belong and you are trying to find your way. When you get to your second season, you know what the coach expects of you, you know your teammates, you know how things work. You simply have a different feeling of confidence.
Caitlin Clark
The Fever had a 3-1 record against the Sky last season. The geographic proximity of the franchises and the presence of outstanding rookies in Chicago, such as Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, have intensified the rivalry.
On Saturday, they will face each other for the first time in the five matches scheduled for the 44-game regular season, with one match each month from May to September.
Rivalries are real, and that’s what makes sports so incredible. There are certain teams that those games mean a little more. We go out here and play the same way every night, but a rivalry involves the fans and they love it.
Caitlin Clark
