When Caitlin Clark received the news that she would not be on the U.S. women’s national team at the Paris Olympics, she texted her Indiana Fever coach, Christie Sides.
“You have awakened a monster,” Clark wrote, according to Sides.
Included She It also gave this monster what seemed like a much-needed rest – a month-long break to refuel and refocus that could change the dynamic for the rest of the WNBA season.
Clark is a different player today — and a much better one — than she was in May, when she moved to the WNBA almost immediately after a long season in Iowa. Part of that is adjusting to the pro game. Part of that is figuring out how to play with her teammates — and her teammates figuring out how to play with her.
And some of her may finally get a chance to breathe, at least in these last two games when she played her best professional basketball game yet.
What’s coming is uncharted territory. The Clark of last week is one of the best players in the WNBA, not just a promising rookie who is just finding her stride. Can she keep it up? And what if she could even improve?
The Fever – 12-7 after a 1-8 start – have a good chance of making the playoffs. They play in a key game Saturday against potential playoff opponent Minnesota, coached by Cheryl Reeve, who also led the U.S. women at the Olympics.
Indiana still draws huge TV audiences. Last weekend, 2.3 million watched the Fever-Seattle game, up 263% from the next highest non-Fever game of the weekend (New York-Las Vegas) and 454% from the next highest game.
Now imagine if Clark played in the final stages and in the actual playoff series at anything like the level that made her so popular as a college player?
The WNBA has always struggled to get attention once the NFL season starts. Maybe that’s not the case in this case. Logo threes and no-look passes usually get the attention. The Clark phenomenon isn’t slowing down, in fact it’s growing.
Every now and then a unique talent comes along that, for various reasons, captures the public’s attention and elevates an entire sport – Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, even a Conor McGregor. However, they have to continue to be successful and exciting for it to last, let alone expand.
That’s the direction Clark is pointing. That’s the monster.
Before reports emerged that she would no longer be selected for the Olympic team, Clark averaged 15.6 points and 6.4 assists in her 11 WNBA games, shooting 35.7 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from 3-point range.
In the 15 games between the announcement and the break, she increased her scoring to 18.2 points and 9.5 assists with a 43.9 percent overall shooting percentage and a 35.7 percent shooting percentage from behind the three-point line.
In two games since the WNBA returned, they’re averaging 26.0 points, 9.5 assists and 48.6% shooting. And more importantly, the Fever have won both games.
Like any rookie in any league, Clark had to adjust to a new environment. And like any WNBA rookie, it happened quickly – her season in Iowa ended on April 7 with a loss in the national title game. Eight days later, she was drafted. Then came a transfer, training camp and the season opener on May 14.
Furthermore, she immediately became both the strategic and emotional focus of any opponent’s defense.
“Reality is coming,” predicted the legendary Diana Taurasi.
Taurasi wasn’t wrong. It’s just that maybe a different reality is coming now. They can guard her, push her, fire her, whatever, but Clark still finds her game.
If Clark had not previously deserved one of the coveted 12 spots on the roster – at least in the opinion of USA Basketball’s selection committee – it seemed she certainly did when the torch was lit in France.
“If we had to do it all over again, she would definitely be considered for the team because of the way she plays and she is far superior to a lot of other players,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, a member of the committee, said on July 30.
No matter. She wasn’t selected, but the Americans still won gold.
And now Caitlin Clark looks even better – rested and ready for an amazing finish.
