UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Because the seconds ticked down earlier than her first WNBA sport started, Caitlin Clark couldn’t cease shifting. Ready for the opening bounce, she paced alongside the free throw line. She tugged at her shorts and stuck her ponytail. She swung her arms in an try to remain unfastened.
Then the ref tossed the orange and white WNBA basketball, however officers deemed it wanted to be thrown a second time. In contrast to the official’s toss, Clark may not desire a full redo of her debut. Nonetheless, there have been undoubtedly moments she is going to need again from a combined particular person efficiency and, finally, a disappointing loss.
She led the Indiana Fever with 20 factors, but she additionally notched 10 turnovers — probably the most ever in a participant’s first WNBA sport.
“I didn’t have the best begin, so I believe (there’s) only a lot to be taught from,” Clark mentioned. “There’s gonna be good ones. There’s gonna be dangerous ones.”
Caitlin Clark scored her first skilled factors with 5:24 to play within the first half, hitting a layup. @TheAthleticWBB pic.twitter.com/BqamXt3GBj
— Ben Pickman (@benpickman) May 15, 2024
She rewrote the file guide over 4 years at Iowa, typically making the toughest matchups and most troublesome pictures appear like a breeze. Tuesday’s inglorious file was not anticipated. Simply over a month has handed since Clark’s school profession concluded, however life within the WNBA is right here. If a reminder was wanted, she confirmed within the Fever’s 92-71 defeat to the Connecticut Solar that she’ll, at occasions, have rising pains as she transitions into the skilled ranks.
“She’s a rookie on this league,” Fever coach Christie Sides mentioned. “That is the very best league on the earth. We’ve received to show her what these video games are gonna appear like for her each single night time and we’ve received to eradicate a few of that strain for her. That’s on me, that’s on my workers to have to determine.”
All eyes are on Clark as she makes an attempt to leap to the professionals with excessive expectations to not simply carry out like she did in school however invigorate the league in a means no participant has earlier than. Tuesday’s season tipoff was in entrance of the Solar’s first home-opener sellout since 2003, and she or he’ll make her dwelling debut in entrance of one other raucous crowd Thursday. At Connecticut, tons of, maybe 1000’s, of followers wore No. 22 T-shirts with Iowa and Fever logos on them to have fun Clark. (At one level, a “bandwagon fan” graphic appeared on the Solar video board whereas displaying lots of them on the display.) Followers with “Clark Fever” shirts began wandering the Mohegan Solar on line casino flooring hours earlier than the night tipoff. The sport’s tv ranking is bound to be far greater than final season’s openers.
It’s a scene Clark witnessed at almost each sport throughout her senior season at Iowa.
“I performed in sold-out crowds actually each single sport, so these environments don’t scare me or affect me in any respect,” she mentioned Tuesday morning. “I’m positive there will likely be similar to numerous basketball followers right here that basically respect the sport.”
the followers are displaying out in Connecticut tonight 🙌 pic.twitter.com/7CECWVIFSJ
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 14, 2024
But even with that familiarity, on the morning of probably the most extremely anticipated rookie debut in WNBA historical past, she tried to mood expectations.
“I do know the surface world thinks I’m gonna do some wonderful issues, however that may take a while,” Clark mentioned. “And if issues aren’t good straight away or one sport’s not as wonderful as I need it to be, give your self grace, proceed to be taught, proceed to get higher from it.”
Virtually instantly, Clark was welcomed to the WNBA by one of many world’s finest gamers. Lower than two minutes in, Solar star ahead Alyssa Thomas attacked Clark in transition, forcing the 6-foot guard right into a foul. After choosing up two fouls, Clark ended the primary quarter scoreless. She admitted regaining her movement was powerful after sitting some early.
Clark had mentioned “it will be good” for her first profession basket to return on a layup, however she couldn’t have envisioned ready till the 5:24 mark of the second quarter to attain. As she walked to the locker room at halftime, trailing by 10 factors, reigning Rookie of the Yr Aliyah Boston grabbed Clark’s consideration.
“(Boston) mentioned simply be calm, be aggressive and be you,” Clark mentioned.
Clark made some uncharacteristic errors, choosing up the basketball and touring, dribbling it off her foot and throwing an errant inbounds move. She has room to enhance defensively, as properly. Taking part in an skilled opponent, Connecticut’s physicality made a distinction. Sides mentioned Indiana was “punched within the mouth.”
Clark finally settled in, making the most of switches. She hit a late fourth-quarter 3-pointer over Solar middle Olivia Nelson-Ododa on a shot paying homage to her time with the Hawkeyes. Nonetheless, the Fever performed the whole night time in catch-up mode, trailing for the sport’s remaining 34 minutes. A stretch within the fourth quarter wherein Thomas guarded Clark supplied one other information level that Clark’s competitors degree had elevated.
GO DEEPER
What we realized in Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut
There’s loads of tape for Clark to devour now, and never a lot time to do it. Sides confused that Indiana’s spacing was poor, and that it wants to seek out methods to get Boston simpler seems (she tried solely six pictures and scored simply 4 factors). Clark’s teammates must do a greater job of coming again to the ball on her passes. Chopping down on turnovers — the Fever had 25 — may even be crucial.
Alternatives to point out rapid progress will come quickly and infrequently. Indiana opens the season with seven video games in 12 days. The New York Liberty await Thursday night time, one other stiff problem in a run of them.
Some performances will inevitably pale compared to others. A Clark masterclass will certainly come ahead of later. However Tuesday emphasised what her new competitors is like. How she responds will likely be her greatest problem.
“Disenchanted and no one likes to lose, that’s how it’s,” Clark mentioned. “Can’t beat your self up an excessive amount of about one sport.”
(Picture: Elsa / Getty Pictures)