Caitlin Clark’s Honest Statement on Indiana Fever’s Brutal Schedule

Caitlin Clark spoke before the Indiana Fever vs. LA Sparks game.

The Indiana Fever are set to face the LA Sparks on Friday night, and all eyes are on Caitlin Clark. The Fever star is certainly ready for the bright lights of Los Angeles, and is prepared to put on a show for the fans in attendance.

Joining the WNBA on ION broadcast before the game, Clark was asked about her first two weeks in the WNBA.

“It’s definitely been a whirlwind, kind of like you said. It’s been a lot of learning on the fly, you have to pick up things really fast, and obviously our schedule is tough to start off,” Clark admitted. “I think we play seven games in the first 12 days of the season.

And that’s on top of not really having a long training camp. So you gotta learn fast. I think that’s the biggest thing. Put things together from one game to the next. Learn and practice, go to the game, implement it…. Another opportunity to get our first win tonight, so we’re excited.”

The WNBA grind is no joke, and Clark has handled it well to start her career. With so much attention on her, Clark has been able to remain focused on the task at hand, which is competing alongside her teammates each night.

Indiana will look for their first win on Friday night when they face Los Angeles.

HOT NEWS: 

🚨 WNBA’S CAITLIN CLARK IS “STRAIGHT & WHITE”! AND THAT’S A PROBLEM?! WOKE SPORTS MEDIA THINKS SO!

WNBA’s Caitlin Clark is “STRAIGHT & WHITE”! AND THAT’S A PROBLEM?! WOKE Sports Media Thinks So!

.

. . Play video: WNBA’s Caitlin Clark is “STRAIGHT & WHITE”! AND THAT’S A PROBLEM?! WOKE Sports Media Thinks So! Ratings and Attendance has greatly increased since the Iowa Star was drafted by the Indiana Fever.

Inside Caitlin Clark’s first week in WNBA with Indiana Fever

NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark was swarmed. With 53 minutes on the clock until her Indiana Fever’s Saturday afternoon tilt against the New York Liberty, security flanked her as she walked behind the teams’ benches to sign autographs after finishing a portion of her pregame routine. Like moths to a light, fans from various sections at Barclays Center descended upon Clark, following her along the rail as she made her way toward the tunnel. Young kids and adults, wearing Fever and Liberty gear, called her name, hoping to be the next fan to get a selfie or autograph. The Caitlin Clark tour has officially graduated from Big Ten arenas to the WNBA. Nearly 44,000 fans across sellouts in three different cities flocked to witness the 2024 No. 1 draft pick and NCAA Division I scoring leader take the floor for her initial professional basketball games. Scores more watched on television, including 2.1 million for Indiana’s season opener Tuesday, the most-watched WNBA game since 2001. But this chapter of Clark’s journey so far has an aura of unfamiliarity compared to her storybook run at Iowa in which the Hawkeyes fell just short of winning the national championship the past two seasons. The Fever are 0-3 heading into Monday’s rematch against the Connecticut Sun (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). Two of their losses were blowouts. And individually, Clark, who never lost three consecutive games at Iowa, has had her ups and downs as she has struggled with physicality, playing with new teammates and facing better defenses. She’s the fourth player in WNBA history to tally 50 points and 15 assists in her first three career games, but she has also committed 21 turnovers, the most through a player’s first three games in league history. Exacerbated by a brutal schedule that’s particularly unforgiving for a young, inexperienced squad, the adjustment to the WNBA is playing out just as legends Sheryl Swoopes and Diana Taurasi warned it would. Exactly as Clark herself, as well as Indiana’s coach and general manager, had acknowledged would be the case. “I know the outside world thinks I’m going to do some amazing things, but that might take some time,” Clark said Tuesday morning, prior to her first regular-season game. “This is the professional league,” teammate Kelsey Mitchell said Saturday. “I don’t know what people expect or what they’re looking for. But [coming together as a team] is going to take a little time.” 

Illustration by ESPN CLARK WAS BURSTING with excitement in the lead-up to her pro debut against the Sun. She’d played in Indiana’s preseason games, but this was the real deal, she said. It was setting in how lucky she is to have this as her job, and she said she was restless waiting for the 7:30 p.m. tip. “This is definitely up there with some of the best moments of my life, for sure,” Clark said prior to Indiana’s 92-71 loss. She knew teams would be physical with her. In going up against not just two of the top three squads in the league this past week, but specifically two of the top defenses, Clark was hounded by premier perimeter defenders in Connecticut’s DiJonai Carrington, an early candidate for WNBA Most Improved Player, and New York’s Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, a two-time All-Defensive team selection. When it wasn’t those two, former MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas helped get Clark into foul trouble, or Sun guard Rachel Banham bodied her sliding across the paint as a help defender as Clark went up for a layup. On the other end of the floor, two-time MVP Breanna Stewart set a brick wall of a screen Saturday that sent

Clark to the floor.

play 1:37 Caitlin Clark underwhelms again as Fever fall to the Liberty

Caitlin Clark scores nine points as the Indiana Fever fall to the New York Liberty 102-66.

Coming off a 22-point performance against the Liberty on Saturday — the best scoring outing Clark has had as a pro, as well as her most efficient (9-for-17 from the field) — Clark is averaging 17.0 points on 40.0% shooting (32.1% from 3), to go along with 4.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 7.0 turnovers. That would be considered a “great” start for any other player, Fever coach Christie Sides said prior to Saturday’s game. The expectations are just that high for Clark, and by extension, the Fever. “When I’m looking at all these things that people are talking about with Caitlin Clark, it’s like guys, chill out. She’s going to be fine,” Sun coach Stephanie White said Friday. “It’s two games in. Are you kidding me?”

Top stories of the week from

Get exclusive access to thousands of premium articles a year from top writers. Beyond Clark, Indiana — which is seeking its first postseason since 2016 — has struggled with both its offensive and defensive execution. Thursday’s 102-66 loss to the Liberty marked the franchise’s largest defeat in nearly three years and the second-largest loss in a home season opener in WNBA history. Sides was left lamenting her team’s lack of mental toughness and pride, especially in front of the 17,000-plus fans who filled Gainbridge Fieldhouse. In the midst of such extraordinary attention and pressure, Fever veteran Erica Wheeler — who as a point guard has taken Clark under her wing — advised teammates to stay off social media. As they strive to hold one another accountable in-house, she said, they must “stay together no matter what.” Clark’s frustration has been obvious at times. At the end of the first half against the Sun, she argued with an official about a no-call before Sides got between them and nudged Clark away. Teammate Aliyah Boston walked off the court at halftime with Clark, grabbing her by the arm as she explained why she might not get those calls and told her she has to be calm and aggressive and “be you.” Two days later, as Clark exited the Fever’s home loss to the Liberty — she was held to single-digit scoring, which happened only once in 139 games at Iowa, during her freshman season — a clearly irritated Clark dourly high-fived staff and teammates before taking a seat on the bench. Yet when asked Saturday to describe how things are going so far, Clark responded, “It’s been fun, honestly, like, this is what you signed up for.” These early games are ripe for learning opportunities, she said, and she relishes the opportunities to play in front of big crowds in new arenas in the best league there is. “We all want to win, that goes without saying,” Clark said. “But at the same time, there has to be some sort of positivity or you’re really going to lose yourself.”

An unsuspecting Caitlin Clark barrels into a hard Breanna Stewart screen, briefly sending Clark to the floor.

THINGS REMAIN A whirlwind. Outside of the games, there are shootarounds and practices, film sessions, media availability and travel (both by charter and commercially, though the league moves to full-time charter this week). When asked by a reporter whether she has been able to settle in to Indianapolis at all, Clark said, “Not really,” before adding she hopes to make it to the city’s Zoobilation, a black-tie fundraising event in June at the Indianapolis Zoo. Soon, she’ll finally get to move out of a hotel and into an apartment. Saturday’s loss to the Liberty seemed like a step in the right direction. The Fever played with more pace, which helped the offense flow better. Clark thought she was more active on that end, too. She balanced some 3-point makes with getting downhill to the rim — her nine field goals surpassing the seven she’d made in her first two games combined — while her eight assists were her most so far.

The 2024 WNBA Season is Here

 It’s not too late to play! Sign up now for Fantasy Women’s Basketball and start your championship run. Sign up for free! “She’s going to be a really good player, I know that much,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said Saturday. “It’s hard coming in as a No. 1 [pick]. … Kelsey Plum, it took her an adjustment, look what she’s doing now. Sabrina [Ionescu], look at the adjustment that she made.” The Fever defense needs work. Indiana allowed 12 first-half 3-pointers from New York, as well as 30 points in transition. But the Fever battled back from a 23-point deficit to make it an 11-point game (91-80) by the final buzzer. Yet the schedule won’t let up for some time. Indiana’s current stretch of seven games in 12 days to start the season concludes with meetings at the Seattle Storm on Wednesday, at the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday and at the Las Vegas Aces, the two-time defending champions, on Saturday. Quick turnarounds aren’t just trying for athletes — including Clark, who is only weeks removed from a 39-game college season — but make for extremely limited practice time, which is probably what Sides wishes she had most. “Process” is the word Sides keeps using to describe Clark’s assimilation to the pros. She’s referring not just to Clark learning the pro game, but also to her team’s chemistry. “We’re striving to be what Minnesota and what Las Vegas is … and it took them time,” Sides said. “So now with the eyes on us, the pressure is different, but still, you can’t skip steps.”

HOT NEWS: 

TOP 10 TAYLOR SWIFT AND TRAVIS KELCE HEART MELTING MOMENTS…

TOP 10 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce HEART MELTING MOMENTS…

TOP 10 Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce HEART MELTING MOMENTS…

 Taylor Swift, the renowned pop sensation, and Travis Kelce, the star tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs, have captivated fans with their undeniable chemistry and heartwarming moments. Their relationship has been a subject of admiration and fascination, leading to numerous heart-melting moments that fans can’t help but swoon over. Here are the top 10 moments that showcase the love and connection between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

The Surprise Concert Appearance: During one of Taylor Swift’s concerts, Travis Kelce surprised her and the audience by joining her on stage. As the crowd erupted in cheers, the couple shared a sweet embrace, showcasing their affection for each other in front of thousands of fans. Romantic Getaways: Taylor and Travis have been spotted enjoying romantic getaways together, escaping the hustle and bustle of their busy lives to spend quality time with each other. Whether it’s a secluded beach or a charming European city, their love blossoms in the most picturesque settings. Supporting Each Other’s Careers: Despite their demanding schedules, Taylor and Travis always find time to support each other’s careers. Whether it’s attending each other’s concerts or cheering from the sidelines at football games, they are each other’s biggest fans. Social Media PDA: Their love isn’t just confined to private moments; Taylor and Travis aren’t shy about expressing their affection for each other on social media. From sweet comments to adorable photos together, they melt hearts with their public displays of affection. Charity Work Together: Both Taylor and Travis are passionate about giving back to their communities, and they often team up for charity events and fundraisers. Seeing them work together for a good cause only strengthens the admiration fans have for their relationship. Shared Interests: Beyond their careers, Taylor and Travis share many interests and hobbies, from music and travel to fitness and philanthropy. Their compatibility shines through in the way they enjoy each other’s company and pursue common passions. Family Gatherings: The couple is often seen attending family gatherings and celebrations together, blending their worlds seamlessly. Their bond extends beyond just the two of them, as they embrace each other’s families with open arms. Public Declarations of Love: Whether it’s in interviews or on red carpets, Taylor and Travis aren’t afraid to express their love for each other in public. Their genuine affection and admiration for one another are evident in every word and gesture. Surprise Gifts: Taylor and Travis are known for surprising each other with thoughtful gifts, showing that it’s the little things that count in their relationship. From handwritten notes to meaningful mementos, they never miss an opportunity to make each other feel loved. Future Plans Together: Despite their hectic schedules, Taylor and Travis have spoken about their future together, hinting at marriage and starting a family someday. Their commitment to each other is unwavering, and fans can’t help but root for their happily ever after.

Conclusion: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship is a beacon of love and happiness in the world of celebrity couples. Through their genuine affection, mutual support, and heart-melting moments, they continue to inspire fans around the world. As they embark on their journey together, one thing is certain: their love story is one for the ages