The sooner Caitlin Clark fans forget about the 2025 season, the better. What was meant to be her big sophomore leap, the season where she’d build on her incredible rookie year and maybe even sneak into MVP conversations… turned into something no one saw coming. Three separate injuries to her quadriceps and groin derailed her season, painfully forcing her to watch from the sidelines. But as her playing time was cut short, something else started to shine through. Her leadership.

Caitlin Clark was in Chicago this week for Becker’s Healthcare’s CEO + CFO Roundtable, where she took the stage as a keynote speaker. With her season limited to just 13 games because of multiple injuries, she opened up about her new role inside the Fever locker room. As shared by a fan page of the Indy superstar (@bdilh021524), Clark said, “Try to instill as much confidence in them and hopefully they can achieve more than they even thought they could…it always goes back to relationships and really getting to know them and what makes them tick.”

Even though Caitlin Clark couldn’t make her mark on the court this season, her words showcase how she’s continued to contribute in other intangible ways. Building a strong locker room culture has been one of the Fever’s biggest priorities. Team president Kelly Krauskopf had even mentioned that the young core wanted her to bring in players who would “protect their locker room.”

That’s precisely why Caitlin Clark’s presence matters. While nursing her injury on the sidelines, she showed a new side of herself: fostering chemistry, trust, and relationships among teammates, something that was evident all season long.

Remember the “Tres Leches,” the iconic trio of Clark, Lexie Hull, and Sophie Cunningham? Or those little pre-game rituals the 2024 ROTY shares with Aliyah Boston and the rest of her teammates, making sure they still feel her presence even while she’s sidelined? That’s what makes Indiana special. Whoever walks through those doors instantly feels like part of the family.

In a season where the Fever didn’t just lose Caitlin Clark to a season-ending injury, but also Aari McDonald, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham, and Chloe Bibby, the Indy team’s resilience was tested like never before…

“When one person goes down, we say it all the time, the next woman stands up,” center Aliyah Boston said, perfectly capturing the spirit that defined their year. That unwavering camaraderie inside the Fever locker room kept their season alive and fueled their first playoff series win in over a decade.

That said, it looks like Caitlin Clark has made public speaking a key part of her offseason routine. Remember that viral post about how much she reportedly earns per session? It caught everyone’s attention, and with her latest appearance, she could be adding another hefty paycheck to that total!

Caitlin Clark Turns Keynote Appearances Into Major Paydays!

Remember when Don Steinbrugge, the Founder and CEO of Agecroft Partners, went viral on X for revealing, “We were told her [Clark’s] virtual speaking fee started at $100,000, which was over our budget. She makes more in a 30-minute virtual meeting than she does over a 40-game WNBA season with her team.”

Last year alone, Caitlin Clark made four major keynote appearances. At Cardiovascular Research Technologies, the Massachusetts Conference for Women, the National Conference for Women, and Becker’s Healthcare’s Annual ASC Meeting. And yes, this marks her second time speaking at a Becker’s Healthcare program.

Now, if Steinbrugge’s claim holds true, that means the WNBA ace earned around $400,000 from just four 30-minute appearances, surpassing the total value of her four-year rookie contract with the Fever, which sits at $338,056. Honestly, that’s probably why she doesn’t mind skipping Unrivaled for the second straight offseason.

The league has become a real cash cow for W players (hopefully their salaries reflect that with the new CBA soon), but when you’re Caitlin Clark with brand deals piling up, picking and choosing your interests doesn’t exactly hurt the wallet!