Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever featured in pair of ESPN’s Week 1 WNBA overreactions
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were both featured prominently in ESPN’s Week 1 WNBA overreactions.
With a figure like Clark, there’s always going to be a wide range of reactions to everything that she does. Clark was the No. 1 overall pick by the Indiana Fever and was the two-time national player of the year with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Her presence has brought millions of eyeballs to the game of women’s basketball. Because of that lightning rod-like draw, for good or bad, what Clark does will be discussed.
In her WNBA debut at the Connecticut Sun, Clark scored 20 points. It took nearly 15 minutes of game time before Clark scored her first points, though. Of course, she also had a record 10 turnovers for a WNBA debut in that contest at the Sun.
Clark cleaned up the turnovers in her second career game, but she scored just nine points in the Fever’s 102-66 blowout loss versus last season’s WNBA runner-up in the New York Liberty.
After those two performances, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou is at least entertaining the idea that Clark won’t win WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Again, they’re called overreactions. But Brink looked stellar in her 19 minutes with the Sparks on Wednesday. The No. 2 pick in April’s draft, Brink held her own against future Hall of Famer Tina Charles, hit 2 of 3 attempts from the perimeter (finishing overall with 11 points), shined with some nice drives and kicks (her four assists were second on the team behind Clarendon) and boasted a team best +8 plus/minus.
Brink struggled with foul trouble in college, and her five fouls Wednesday (including two in the first three minutes of the game) weren’t ideal. She gets six now in the WNBA, and if she can manage to stay on the floor, her impact in Los Angeles is going to be remarkable. – Philippou, ESPN.
Philippou also wrote that the Fever may only win one game in the month of May. The Fever’s upcoming May schedule looks like this: at the New York Liberty on Saturday, versus the Connecticut Sun on May 20, at the Seattle Storm on May 22, at the Los Angeles Sparks on May 24, at the Las Vegas Aces on May 25, versus the Los Angeles Sparks on May 28 and versus the Seattle Storm on May 30.
Indiana was outscored by 57 points combined in its first two games, the largest point deficit for a team in such a span in league history.
Having to face both squads once more, the emerging superteam Storm twice and the defending champs in Vegas, all before the end of the month makes for the most unforgiving season start in the league. The Fever will play seven games in the first 12 days of the season (five of which are on the road), which Christie Sides has expressed frustration about as it means the team will have less practice time to work on things. The easiest opponent they’ll face before June is the Los Angeles Sparks, but that won’t be easy, either; the Sparks are led by a veteran coach and have some experienced players and bright rookies. – Philippou, ESPN.
The key for Clark and the Fever will be remaining patient and understanding that this is all a work in progress. Obviously, there’s already been some dubious history individually for Clark and as a team for the Fever.
Staying the course and remembering that this team had the No. 1 overall pick in back-to-back drafts for a reason will be pivotal.
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