WNBA Champion Eager to Land a Job at the Fever, Tweaks Tactics for Caitlin Clark’s Teammate

When Caitlin Clark walked into the W, she was met with significant pushback from the greats of the league. Maybe it was because of her skills, maybe it was because of the surrounding hype, but a lot of the senior players and retired legends didn’t necessarily like her. That is, until Candace Parker stepped up with a rather fresh perspective. “America has gravitated to her, and it’s only just pulling the women up more and more and more, so I love it.” Parker had been in her shoes before, and honestly? She loved watching the Indiana Fever star play!

Recently, Candace Parker has been part of a rather unexpected Indiana Fever collaboration. The WNBA legend has been hosting the ‘Post Moves’ podcast with Fever star Aliyah Boston. Honestly? It’s been fun! They’ve talked about all things basketball and have been interacting with fans in every episode. But the latest episode posed a rather interesting question to Parker, and her future in basketball. Basically, a fan asked Parker if she’d want to get into coaching and perhaps one day coach a WNBA team. “I never say never, but never,” Parker said, laughing the question off. “I think the first coaching I’ll do is probably my kids.”

But would it really be that bad? We all know how deep Candace Parker’s resume is–two MVPs and three rings is crazy work–and from her years of broadcasting, we know the WNBA legend still loves the sport. Still, that’s none of our business. But even though the Sparks legend stifled any hopes that the fan might’ve had, she did take time to answer their question. “But if there were a WNBA team to coach, I would probably have to say it’s between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces,” she said. “Because I feel like those two teams can play the most amazing styles.”

Parker also brought up a bunch of changes that she’d end up making, some of them in jest, and some of them actual suggestions. “I would have you bring the ball up,” she said to Aliyah Boston, “I would have you pitch it to, a post-up for Caitlin Clark. I would run a flare for Natasha Howard and Kelsey Mitchell coming off that dribble handoff. There are so many sets that I would run. So just know that you would get the ball a lot.”

Sure, we’re not at risk of seeing any of this in the near future, but a fan can dream, right? As long as she’s not trying to put CC in the post, Candace Parker would make an amazing coach. Imagine the basketball legend sharing her wisdom with Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston on the court. Wouldn’t it be perfect?

Still, let’s make our way back to reality. Parker has been quite vocal in her support of the Indiana Fever recently. But what did she have to say about Caitlin Clark’s return from injury and its impact on her team? Let’s find out!

Caitlin Clark’s return is going to be ‘scary’ as per the WNBA legend

According to Candace Parker, the sky is the limit for Indiana when Caitlin Clark comes back. We’ve been hearing rumors about the six-foot-tall point guard’s eventual return from injury, and the timeline has long since been exceeded. She was supposed to come back in early to mid-August, but the regular season is coming to an end, and there are still no signs of her.

Okay, maybe saying there are no signs of her is a bit misleading. The Indiana Fever star has started to practice and run drills with the team without contact, and fans are optimistic about a return before the postseason. But even though CC’s return has been a long time coming, there is still a very important question about the team that needs to be answered–where exactly will the guard fit into Indiana’s new lineup?

Since her injury, Indiana’s backcourt has changed dramatically. They lost Sophie Cunningham, Sydney Colson, and Aari McDonald to injury, gutting their guard lineup. Luckily, Kelsey Mitchell is playing at an MVP-level, and the injury replacements have been doing well. As per Candace Parker, CC’s return will turn around Indiana’s fortunes for the season.

“When Caitlin gets back, it’s going to be scary from a backcourt standpoint,” Parker said. “Because the two of them with the ball in their hands, without the ball, and as a post player, your eyes have to light up. Because if there’s that much attention from the backcourt, if you set screens, if you set early drags in transition. … I mean the skies of what ya’ll are able to accomplish.”

And it’s true! Caitlin Clark’s offensive production and her genius-level IQ will really affect Indiana’s postseason play. It will be interesting to see how the Indiana Fever deal with the guard’s reintegration, but one thing’s for certain–they’ll be much better for it! Stay tuned for more updates!