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Caitlin Clark’s rookie season was the most spectacular in WNBA history. While some were skeptical of the Indiana Fever ace’s ability to transition to the pro league, she showed that she was the real deal, averaging 19.2 points and a league-leading 8.4 assists per game, earning herself All-Star and All-WNBA First Team honors.
At the same time, the native of Des Moines, Iowa, also had her fair share of bumps on the road and bruises on her body. From struggling to protect the ball early in the season to getting rude welcomes from the league’s veteran players, it was obvious that many people wanted a piece of Clark—for the good and the bad.
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But NBA legend Paul Pierce liked what he saw from the former Iowa Hawkeyes legend early in the season, saying the dynamic guard isn’t just taking the hits; she’s also now ready to dish out some of her own.
She’s not letting things slide anymore
Last season, Clark’s “Golden Goose” status made her an immediate target for opposing players. One incident in particular stands out — during a game against the Chicago Sky, guard Chennedy Carter threw a body check on the then-rookie, laying her out on the ground.
Last year, Clark just lay down and let the referees sort all that out. This season, she’s taken a more proactive approach. In the Fever’s season-opener against the Sky, Caitlin saw her teammate Aliyah Boston get pushed from behind by Chicago forward Angel Reese. Realizing that the refs didn’t call a foul, she took matters into her own hands and gave Reese a hard foul that the latter didn’t like.
Welcome to Caitlin Clark 2.0 — one who is unafraid to stand up for herself and her teammates on the court.
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“Clark is off that s**t now. She let it all slide the first year they was pushing her and all that,” Pierce said on “KG Certified.” “She like, ‘You know what? I’m in here. I’m here. I’m here. I’m here, and this is what it’s going to be this year.’And she set the tone. I like that though.”
Related: Ivica Zubac reflects on breakout year, Jokic battles, and more in Basketball Network exclusive
Caitlin is standing her ground
On Thursday, the Fever took on the Atlanta Dream for the second time this week, determined to bounce back from their narrow 91-90 defeat on Tuesday. In that game, Caitlin delivered an impressive performance with 27 points and 11 assists, making her a key target for the Dream. To limit her impact, they assigned their tenacious forward, Rhyne Howard, to defend her.
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Things reached a fever point between the two late in the first when Howard was called for a foul. Not long after the whistle blew, Caitlin bumped Rhyne with her shoulder and the latter retaliated with a shove.
As their teammates quickly stepped in to prevent things from escalating, the camera caught Caitlin telling Rhyne, “I am not scared of you.”
Kevin Garnett claimed that this feistiness makes action in the WNBA captivating to watch.
“Women actually compete and go at each other,” KG said. “Because they don’t have the athleticism to go up and dunk and do all the stuff we do, they make it up in other ways, bro.”
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Caitlin and the Fever eventually defeated the Dream 81-76. Clark, though, battled foul trouble and scored just 11 points, four boards and six assists.
Related: “He isn’t quite at the Victor Wembanyama level, but he belongs in the Anthony Davis tier” – Sam Vecenie says Flagg is a ‘can’t-miss’ prospect
