Natasha Howard knows all about pressure, having entered the WNBA as the heir to Tamika Catchings. However, what remains with her strongly is the bond she formed with the person whose name perhaps intimidated her once. To this day, Tash considers Catchings her greatest mentor and the reason she became the player she is today. But beyond that, Catchings was a big sister to her, who made the then-rookie’s introduction to the league full of warmth. So, Howard gets it. She gets it all – the pressure and hence, the importance of connections. That’s exactly why she’s taken it upon herself to be the ultimate big sister to the Fever’s young core, especially Caitlin Clark.

After all, the “Caitlin Clark situation” has been rough, even by sophomore standards. This year, for Clark, has been a carousel of injuries. It started with a five‑game absence in May with a quad strain. Followed by another string of absences and even a no‑show at the Commissioner’s Cup Final in June with a left groin issue. Then, she had just begun to find her groove, settle into her body, and her right groin spoiled her plans.

Since then, she has missed three straight regular‑season games and the entire All‑Star weekend. As the Fever gear up to face the Sky in just a few hours, the latest update, while reassuring, isn’t exactly encouraging. The official word from Indiana is that Caitlin Clark “underwent further medical evaluations earlier this week. Which confirmed that no additional injuries or damage were discovered.” And that she will “continue working with the medical team on her recovery and rehabilitation, with the priority on her long-term health and well-being.”

Yes, everyone wants her back at full strength; that’s the top priority. But that doesn’t mean the Fever, and especially Natasha Howard, don’t miss having her around. That much was clear in a clip that quickly made the rounds on X, capturing a warm postgame moment between Howard and Clark that said everything without a word.

The two shared an energetic handshake, followed by a hug, and big smiles. Howard, in the Fever’s classic red jersey, embraced Clark, who was still in street clothes. She looked like every bit the sidelined star she has been for most of the season. Howard later reposted the video, simply writing: “Miss you on the court 🫶🏾.” Well, understandably, because judging from what Howard has said earlier about Clark, their “sisterhood” is in full bloom.

Natasha Howard’s chat with Sue Bird on Bird’s Eye View pretty much summed up her whole dynamic with Caitlin Clark. “Just getting to know Caitlin more. She reminds me of a little sister because she’s only 22 years old,” Howard said. “Like she reminds me of a little sister that I can put under my wing and guide her, and just be that vet for her. And just let her know… ‘I got your back, no matter what, ’cause we know you got a lot of stuff on your shoulders right now,’” she added. And Howard has also once made it clear that Clark doesn’t have to do everything like she did at Iowa: “Give us some of your pressure, too”.

So, yes, Howard wants Caitlin Clark to take all the time she needs. But make no mistake, she’s itching to see her explosive little sis back in uniform. After all, Howard sees a lot more than just the stat sheets. She has already put Clark in the same league as Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi when it comes to leadership, further saying that, “she’s (Clark) going to be a really good point guard for years to come“. And even before Howard joined the roster this year, the reason why the veteran was excited to play with Clark had nothing to do with fifty plus shooting percentages. Instead, Howard highlighted her larger impact, saying, “She can spread the floor by shooting, she can dictate the floor as a point guard…She’s an amazing passer, so I can’t wait to run the floor and get those passes.”

And yes, Indiana needs that larger impact, now more than ever. ESPN favors Indiana (64.5%) to handle the bottom-ranked Chicago Sky in their next outing. But against the league’s third‑ranked Phoenix Mercury, Caitlin Clark’s absence will sting a lot more. Although even injuries and absence cannot stop her from creating history…

Caitlin Clark Set a Record From Sidelines

This time, not with her signature step-back three, but through the trading card market. Her ultra-rare “2024 Panini Flawless WNBA Platinum Rookie Logowoman Patch Auto” 1/1 card just received a staggering $660,000 at the Fanatics Collect July Premier Auction. It instantly became the highest-selling women’s sports trading card ever recorded. The card features Clark’s autograph and the handwritten notation “769 points and counting.” It was pulled live just three weeks ago by Lil Pullman on WhatNot.

After opening at $336,000 in extended bidding, it sparked 26 competitive offers before demolishing every existing women’s sports card record! For context: Just four months ago, Clark’s autographed 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA Gold Vinyl 1/1 sold for $366,000. It surpassed Serena Williams’ previous record of $266,400 set in May 2022. Rewind four years, and the benchmark was a comparatively modest $34,440 for a Mia Hamm card.

The gap grows even starker when you compare it to contemporaries. Sabrina Ionescu’s highest-selling card (February 2023) peaked at $10,800. That means Clark’s latest sale represents a 6,100% increase. The numbers keep stacking: 10 of her cards have already cleared six figures, 14 have outsold her current $78,066 rookie salary. Moreover, her two most valuable cards alone exceed her entire four-year, $338,056 WNBA contract. Caitlin Clark’s impact transcends attendance records. She is busy creating multi-million-dollar collectible markets…