Caitlin Clark has as much on her shoulders of any young athlete in America.
The Indiana Fever rookie guard finally got her first WNBA win on Friday night over the Los Angeles Sparks, which takes a huge collective weight of her team’s back after starting the season 0-5.
While controversy swirls off the court over perceived (and largely unfounded) pettiness toward her WNBA arrival, Clark was asked along with her teammate Aaliyah Boston how they were doing after Friday’s game, most likely in the context of how all the off-court hubbub and the team’s rough start has affected the star duo.
Clark responded with a mature read on the situation, sharing how she’s trying to avoid the outside noise and just focus on her performance.
“I talk to the media more than I get to talk to my own family… no, I’m being dead serious,” Clark told reporters, “which is really kind of sad in a way, and it’s a lot for somebody that’s 22 years old. It can be tough at times. Our team is really young. It’s difficult navigating this.
“I absolutely love it, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. But I think just getting off social media, I think that’s been the healthiest thing… this is my job. This is what I love to do. I never want to lose the fun of the game, and nights like tonight remind me of why I love playing basketball and why I started playing basketball.”
I asked Caitlin and Aaliyah (via Zoom) “HOW ARE YOU DOING” considering all the outside noise the first 1-1/2 weeks, since it doesn’t seem anyone has actually asked them that question.
Caitlin’s reply: https://t.co/nqVeUWoxku
— WillieGRamireZ (@WillieGRamirez) May 25, 2024
It was never going to be possible for Clark to completely live up to the hype of her WNBA debut right away, and she’s got a good perspective on how to handle the fervor of the moment.
