How Caitlin Clark has been led by Erica Wheeler by way of her rookie 12 months

INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark was in the midst of a high-wire act.

The identical ardour that helped reshape the Fever franchise into contenders additionally had her getting ready to punishment. Indiana was in its penultimate sport of the common season and Clark was only one technical foul away from triggering an automated suspension.

With technical foul totals resetting earlier than the playoffs, Clark simply wanted to get by way of the sport technical-free and she or he’d be protected. However Clark can also be at all times unafraid to talk her thoughts to officers, organising a 40-minute tightrope stroll the place one step within the mistaken route might show expensive.

Enter the de-escalation crew.

Clark’s teammates, very conscious of the scenario, spent the entire sport towards the Wings making certain she didn’t get that seventh technical foul. Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell turned her away from the referees and again upcourt whereas Katie Lou Samuelson sprinted from the bench after a timeout to intercept Clark from pleading her case.

As has been the case all season, although, veteran guard Erica Wheeler was on the heart of all of it, time and time once more. In a single occasion within the first half proven above, Wheeler checked into the sport for Clark, who was feeling significantly aggrieved a few foul name, and shepherded her to the sideline within the course of.

Later within the fourth quarter with the Fever pulling away, Wheeler grabbed Clark in a bear hug to remind her how shut they have been to the ultimate buzzer and the way a lot they wanted her to get there.

Whereas the sport towards Dallas could have been essentially the most evident instance of the Fever operating interference on Clark — and the one which acquired essentially the most social media consideration — it’s not a brand new function for Wheeler. All through the season, she’s been the one to save lots of Clark from technical fouls and has achieved all of it with a smile.

“Severely, she’s passionate concerning the sport,” Wheeler stated. “I understand how she is, and I can form of see when she’s taking it a little bit additional and I’m already standing up and able to de-escalate it and she or he permits me to. I feel that’s a very powerful piece that individuals don’t notice. Think about if she didn’t enable me to, she’d be much more mad.

“That exhibits the respect degree that she has for me that she’ll take heed to me, as a result of there’s moments I’m like, “C! C! C!” and she or he’ll take a look at me and she or he desires to say one thing else and she or he simply doesn’t. It simply exhibits how a lot respect she has for me as her vet.”

From the beginning of coaching camp, Wheeler took Clark underneath her wing regardless of realizing full nicely that Clark’s addition to the roster straight impacted her spot within the rotation essentially the most. Coming off the bench is a job she hasn’t beforehand held in her nine-year profession.

Previous to this season, Wheeler had began 209 of the final 238 video games she’d appeared in. She’s solely a handful of years faraway from profitable the 2019 WNBA All-Star Recreation MVP.

Even final season, Wheeler began all 40 video games for the Fever, averaged only a tick underneath 10 factors per sport and led the workforce in assists. When she signed a two-year contract to return to Indiana in 2023, it doubtless wasn’t achieved with the thought of her off-court function ever being extra essential than her on-court one.

However from the second Clark introduced she could be coming into the draft in February, the writing was on the wall for Wheeler. Clark was going to start out and play large minutes from day one, which meant the incumbent start line guard was not.

Many gamers would have pushed again towards having their minutes reduce in half by a rookie. Some may need even requested for a commerce and been justified in doing so. Very, only a few would have reacted like Wheeler did.

On the evening of the 2024 WNBA Draft, 1000’s, together with Wheeler, attended a watch get together at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. And when the Fever formally introduced Clark because the No. 1 choose, Wheeler reacted as each different fan did.

Sitting in courtside with teammates Maya Caldwell and Lexie Hull, Wheeler joined the followers in leaping with pleasure earlier than rapidly placing on an Indiana Fever Clark jersey and racing to heart court docket to rejoice.

“Erica, from the start, knew what it was going to be like when Caitlin acquired right here,” head coach Christie Sides stated. “She’s simply been somebody who’s actually helped not simply Caitlin however the remainder of the workforce. She actually has good data for the gamers throughout video games.

“It’s an entire completely different function for her from final 12 months and the place she was. So, simply respect her and what she’s doing for our workforce.”

Statistically, Wheeler’s manufacturing has dipped dramatically this season. She began the primary two video games of the 12 months as Mitchell returned from damage, however has been relegated to a reserve function since.

Her minutes have been chopped in half from 26.8 per evening final season to simply 13.7 this 12 months. And for the reason that begin of July, she’s averaging underneath 10 minutes per sport. She’s averaging the fewest factors of her profession and the fewest assists and rebounds since her rookie season.

Nevertheless it’d be onerous to argue towards her impression on the Fever this season, particularly in terms of Clark.

As welcoming as Wheeler appeared publicly to having Clark on the workforce, she’s been each bit as responsive behind the scenes as nicely. Even when there weren’t many choices for veteran mentors on a Fever roster with simply three gamers older than 26 on it, Clark might hardly have discovered a greater one in Wheeler.

“I feel she’s any individual who understands me nicely,” Clark stated. “She’s at all times there, whether or not the second’s actually good or the second’s not so nice. She’s there to assist me by way of it or rejoice it, no matter it’s, good or dangerous.

“She understands how [the league] goes and [she’s] simply attempting to assist me by way of my rookie season and assist me perceive how the league works, and what to anticipate or what groups are going to do. I feel it’s been a enjoyable journey for the each of us and it truthfully appears like simply yesterday after we first met and we have been at coaching camp with each other. It’s undoubtedly been enjoyable.”

Picture by Juan Ocampo/NBAE by way of Getty Photos

In lots of situations, Wheeler is noticeable with out at all times being recognizable. When cameras reduce to the bench celebrating after a Clark 3-pointer, Wheeler’s the one dancing up and down the sidelines. When the gamers are being gathered on the sideline throughout a timeout, Wheeler’s the one on the heart doing the speaking.

And when Clark is arguing a name with the officers only a bit too lengthy, it’s Wheeler grabbing her teammate by the arm and guiding her again to the bench to maintain her out of bother.

For Wheeler, it’s the joking and moments of levity with Clark which can be crucial for the intense moments to hit house.

“I feel folks simply misunderstand her,” Wheeler stated. “She’s the kind that typically it’s important to say what it’s. Whether or not she responds or not, you have to say what it’s. Me as a vet and she or he being a rookie, there’s sure issues I’m not going to let her do whether or not she likes it or not and I feel she appreciates that from me.

“Then, together with her simply being on the court docket, simply attempting to include her in ways in which I do know she’ll obtain it. I by no means attempt to be too critical. I attempt to do it in a joking manner so she will be able to obtain it and perceive me and know that it’s coming from a very good place. That’s how our relationship grows. We snicker, we joke and it form of makes [the moments] when it’s time to inform her one thing she must do lots simpler as a result of we snicker and joke lots.”

The Fever, with Clark on the helm, are again within the playoffs for the primary time since 2016. This wasn’t only a matter of them sneaking in as a plucky eighth seed, both. Indiana nonetheless enters as an underdog because the No. 6 seed up towards the Connecticut Solar, however one which holds no less than one win over each workforce within the league this season apart from the Aces.

And it’s unimaginable to argue that Wheeler didn’t play a job in serving to Indiana get again to the postseason.

This time, although, it had much less to do together with her scoring and playmaking, however, as a substitute, was extra attributable to her management and willingness to mentor the Fever’s new rookie star. Her work because the workforce’s unofficial Chief Caitlin Calmer this season has been simply as — if no more — essential than her minutes because the workforce’s backup guard.

However make no mistake about it: Wheeler has been the whole lot the Fever, and Caitlin Clark, have wanted her to be this season, whether or not that has been as a mentor on the follow court docket and within the locker room, or because the teammate able to step in and de-escalate issues at simply the correct time.