Caitlin Clark has become a household name ever since she entered the WNBA. The 22-year-old’s journey in the league did not tip off in desirable fashion, primarily because of the five games lost in a row. However, when everyone doubted her skills, there was one person who consistently supported her throughout: Sue Bird. A legend herself, Bird knew, “It always takes time.” Now that the Indiana Fever rookie guard is turning the tables, Bird is once again the first to express her support.
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But this time, she’s not applauding Caitlin Clark alone. “What I’ve learned in my WNBA experience is pace of play trumps physicality, it trumps size, it can trump experience… what I see in Caitlin, what I see in Kelsey Mitchell, they’re just ramming it down people’s throats,” she said on A Touch More with Megan Rapinoe.
Caitlin Clark may have started with 10 turnovers, but the Fever’s no.22 has ensured to keep it at bay, working her points and assists. From triple-double triumph to assist records in a single game, Clark has already broken several records, helping Fever immensely on the way to, what could be, their first playoff since 2016.
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Further adding two 20-point performances and near 2 double-doubles in the last two games, Rapinoe and Bird agree the break has done Clark only more good. “She’s figuring it out,” they repeat. Bird then goes on to add, “I think it was just getting used to the hits and the physicality, and what the refs are going to call. And you have seen her adjust… which is you know, trouble for everybody else.”
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May 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates with Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (7) during the second quarter against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The Fever has won 4 of its last 5 games, Clark has found her ground, calmer to blocks (Ezi Magbegor for one), and the team is as close to the playoff as they’d wish, standing 8-1 at the beginning of the season.
However, Clark isn’t the only person impressing at Fever. This season, she’s been consistently supported by her teammate, Kelsey Mitchell. The 2018 draft overall No. 2 pick is quite evidently back on the right path.
After Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell is the highest scorer for Fever
Currently, Mitchell is averaging 17.7 points, which is slightly lower than last year’s 18.2 points average. But with 12 games left in the season, there’s a chance she might surpass her last year’s average. And that’s why Sue Bird says, “Kelsey Mitchell is born.” However, all this triumph is not limited to Clark and the Fever.
The Indiana Fever scoring machine has been through the ups and downs of the franchise. Ever since she inked a three-year extension in 2021 to lock her in with Indiana until the end of 2024, she’s proven her worth. She’s been through four different coaches in the last seven years. She has been part of four single-digit win seasons.
She even played on the Indiana State Fairgrounds when the Fever was undergoing renovations in 2021 and 2022. Now that she’s witnessing the other side with sold-out arenas and the first playoff berth in her career, “it’s time for her to go. She’s had a tough, tough time since she’s been here. Hopefully, these last two years have reassured her about the direction we’re going,” shared Linn Dunn, General Manager of the Fever.
But it seems if she left, the Fever would suffer one of the biggest losses this season, primarily because she’s been the Fever’s leading scorer for the past five seasons. With her 3,651 career points, the two-time WNBA All-Star is second in franchise history. “I’m excited to explore free agency,” Mitchell revealed in a recent interview. Well, staying or leaving depends on a mutual agreement between Mitchell and the Fever. Until then, her magic at Fever is all we await.
Stay tuned for more such updates. Join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show.” Our host, BG12, sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.
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Edited by
Shivatmika Manvi