INDIANAPOLIS – After Caitlin Clark was the target of Chennedy Carter’s blatant foul during Saturday’s match between Indiana fever and Chicago Sky, talk of the play and opponents’ treatment of Clark took over the WNBA landscape.
The topic has been discussed ad nauseam on ESPN broadcasts, in national newspapers and even on non-sports entities like “The Today Show.” Clark’s name has become the hottest topic in the WNBA and the sports world as a whole. Through it all, the Fever rookie says she hasn’t paid much attention to what’s been said about her.
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“I don’t really hear the noise,” Clark said after Indiana’s practice Wednesday. “I come here and I play basketball every day and that’s what I focus on. It’s my job, so everything else – all the outside noise – it doesn’t bother me.”
Clark has been in the media eye for months now. From breaking all-time NCAA scoring records, to leading Iowa to a national championship game, to being drafted first overall by the Fever, to the start of the season, Clark has been THE women’s basketball while not taking me too far away from the game. The Fever made a collective effort to put their arms around Clark throughout this madness.
“She’s a human being, and I think this world should treat her like one,” veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell said. “I think she deserves to be kind to herself and I think a lot of people around the world should do the same. As it turns out, not only is she human, but she’s also a 22-year-old girl, technically.
“I think she’s going to transition and she’s going to experience things over time. And I think the world should give her a little grace. I really do.”
Although he is the WNBA Rookie of the Month for May, Clark and the Fever are off to a 2-9 start. She leads the team in scoring (15.6 ppg) and assists (6.4 apg), but that has yet to lead to wins for the Fever.
“We have to keep our blinders on and our earplugs on, and just try to focus on what we can control,” Fever coach Christie Sides said Wednesday.
Much of the dialogue around the Fever and the WNBA will remain focused on Clark. Regardless, Clark will continue to be the subject of numerous online columns, debates and conversations.
