Big Ten Banter: Believe it or Not, Even Caitlin Clark Needs Time to Adjust to WNBA
Let’s just cut immediately to the chase, shall we?
Expectations for Caitlin Clark were unrealistic as she quickly transitioned from college to the professional ranks. Now, after the Indiana Fever’s 0-4 start, a new wave of WNBA “fans” are filling social media platforms with obnoxious, unhealthy rants.
Much like Taylor Swift and her “Swifties,” Clark has garnered somewhat of a cult following — most of whom never watched a WNBA game prior to the Fever’s season opener May 14 against the Connecticut Sun. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with fans supporting their favorite player, there’s a blind belief that the Indiana rookie has done no wrong through her first four games.
Instead, there’s been an awful lot of finger pointing. Clark’s biggest followers have called for Fever coach Christie Sides to be fired. They’ve complained that veteran players across the league are treating her unfairly. The blame game has gotten so toxic that Indiana teammate and 2023 No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston told ESPN’s Holly Rowe she deleted X from her phone.
To be clear, none of this is Clark’s fault. It’s not her responsibility to control the social media mob. Her job is to find ways to be successful in the WNBA — a process that takes time.
These newfound WNBA fans talked themselves into believing Clark’s dominance at the college level would translate to the professional level without so much as a hiccup. And when veteran guard Diana Taurasi tried to explain why that transition is complicated, many of Clark’s fans called the three-time champion and former league MVP “jealous.”
“Look, SVP, reality is coming. There’s levels to this thing. And that’s life, we all went through it,” Taurasi told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt in April. “And you see it on the NBA side and you’re gonna see it on this side. You look superhuman playing against 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come (into a league) with some grown women who have been playing professional basketball for a long time.
“Not saying that’s not gonna translate. Because when you’re great at what you do, you’re just gonna get better. But there is gonna be a transition period, where you’re gonna have to give yourself some grace as a rookie.”
It’s almost like the 20-year WNBA veteran knew what she wasn’t talking about, wasn’t it? Crazy.
Clark has had her fair share of faults during Indiana’s 0-4 start. She has 26 turnovers, including 10 in her first game – a WNBA record for a rookie debut. In Monday night’s 88-84 loss to the Sun, she had a two-possession sequence that proved to be incredibly costly to the Fever.
With just over four minutes to play and Indiana owning a 76-72 lead, Clark turned the ball over and immediately committed a foul. Tyasha Harris quickly made a 3-pointer, cutting the Sun’s deficit to just one point.
On the next possession, Clark was stripped by Alyssa Thomas, who tried to get an easy bucket in transition. Clark committed an open-court foul and picked up a technical foul for chirping at an official.
To use a tired, old phrase: Rookie mistake.
But you know what? That’s OK. Clark is in her first season in the WNBA — it’s going to take time to figure this thing out. For those of you who thought she’d dominate the league from the moment she stepped on a court? That’s on you. There’s no need to blame her coach, teammates and officials. Remember when you started your first job? This is no different.
It hasn’t all been bad for Clark. Through four games, she’s demonstrated she still can knock down triples “from the logo.” She’s still able to drive to the basket. She needs to adapt her considerable passing skills to the professional game, but she can be one of the best in the league.
Indiana had spent just 22 days together as a complete team heading into Monday night’s game against Connecticut. Because the WNBA season begins shortly after the women’s college basketball season concludes, Clark didn’t get an offseason of training to prepare for the strength, physicality and toughness within the league.
All of this factors into why Clark and the Fever have struggled early on this season.
Clark still has potential to be one of the WNBA’s greatest players ever. She can still enjoy an incredibly successful rookie season. There are 36 games regular season games remaining — plenty of time for Indiana’s players to create some chemistry and start performing like a playoff team.
So, if you’re one of those fans putting Clark’s coach, teammates or league officials on blast for her early-season struggles, I have one word for you: Relax. Everything, eventually, is going to be just fine.
Don’t blame everyone else that you had no clue what it takes for even a college superstar like Caitlin Clark to adjust to the WNBA.
