Caitlin Clark warns incoming WNBA rookies of tough ‘adjustment period’ to the league

Caitlin Clark probably doesn’t want to worry any incoming WNBA rookies, but from the sound of it, she does want them to be prepared for the transition from college basketball to the pros.

While speaking to reporters at a Mercedes-Benz event held during the Master’s Tournament, Clark addressed a question about how rookies can best prepare for the WNBA.

From the sound of it, to a degree there’s only so much a rookie can do. As she put it, the change can be difficult simply because it happens so quickly.

“So you basically go home for one day and pack up your whole life and then move to a new city, the city that you get drafted to,” Clark said. “So I think it’s just the adjustment period that you have.”

“I think the biggest difference is just how fast you have to move on and change from being a college student, a college athlete, and then you’re like a professional athlete and there’s a lot that comes with that too,” she added. 

Clark and the Indiana Fever are widely expected to enjoy a pretty incredible season, especially with the addition of WNBA heavyweights like DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard. The team’s first preseason game kicks off on May 3, 2025.