INDIANAPOLIS — Fever head coach Christie Sides had a aim in thoughts for Caitlin Clark heading into the Olympic break. Whereas her level guard was doing a lot to guide the Fever statistically, Sides needed to empower her to change into the group’s vocal chief as properly.
To take action, she spent practices telling solely Clark what she needed communicated to the remainder of the group, forcing the rookie to guide her teammates. Whether or not it was play calls throughout scrimmages or informing them of the subsequent drill, it was Clark’s voice the group heard.
The outcomes have been obvious for the reason that restart. The Fever are one of many league’s hottest groups and Clark is on the heart of their resurgence. Whereas her efforts are actually exhibiting up within the field rating — she’s averaging 22.6 factors, 7.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds on 45.2% capturing for the reason that league returned — they’re additionally exhibiting up in different methods, too.
Her teammate, Kelsey Mitchell, is enjoying about in addition to anybody within the league proper now. Along with her 23 factors in Wednesday’s win over the Solar, she grew to become the primary participant in franchise historical past with 5 straight 20-point video games.
Throughout that stretch, Clark has taken these classes realized in follow and utilized them to the court docket, calling performs on the fly to get Mitchell the ball when she will get on scorching streaks. It’s what you’d anticipate of a veteran level guard, sure, however not essentially from one within the third month of their skilled profession.
It’s a shining instance of how Clark has zoomed proper previous the checkpoint of a superb rookie season and is now a bonafide star. The so-called rookie wall that stops most first-year gamers by midseason seems to have been nothing greater than a hurdle for Clark to leap over.
“I feel that Olympic break actually helped her out with that rookie wall, her getting that full week off and getting her legs below her,” Sides mentioned earlier than Wednesday’s win. “She simply retains rising and studying the sport, her teammates, the fashion of play we’re making an attempt to play. I really like the truth that she’s a playmaker first. That’s the place she is. I really like that.”
The information are dropping by the wayside nightly at this level, a lot of them having to do with that playmaking. However within the victory over the Solar, Clark additionally set the rookie 3-point report, going alongside together with her rookie single-game 3-point report set earlier this season.
She additionally owns the rookie season assists report, in addition to the outright single-game WNBA report for assists. If she continues her present tempo of 8.1 assists per recreation, she is going to break the league’s single-season assists report within the closing recreation of the common season.
Report-breaking has change into commonplace for Clark. It’s led to a number of accolades this season, the latest seeing her named the primary Jap Convention Participant of the Week.
“It’s undoubtedly cool,” Clark mentioned. “It’s undoubtedly a tough award to win, particularly on this league whether or not you’re within the Jap Convention or the Western Convention…I feel, for myself, popping out of the break and actually enjoying aggressive, good basketball is one thing that I’m happy with and I really feel like, as a group, we’ve completed that, too.
“I felt I may achieve some confidence even going into the break and simply with the ability to carry that when we began enjoying once more. I feel I’ve been capable of stack some video games collectively,” Clark continued. “Simply persevering with to search out extra consistency has been my greatest aim and I feel I’ve completed a superb job of that.”
The Fever’s rise out of the basement of the league and into the thick of the playoffs was not one thing Clark did on her personal. Each Mitchell and Aliyah Boston have gained Participant of the Week honors this season, too.
However Clark has been the straw stirring the drink all through. For the reason that 2-9 begin, she’s averaging 19.3 factors, 9.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds. That ranks her tenth within the WNBA in factors and first in assists.
In that very same span, the Fever have the best offensive score within the league and solely the Liberty and Lynx — two of the highest three groups within the league — have higher information than Indiana. After being fed to the proverbial wolves to open the yr, Clark and the Fever have come out the opposite facet not simply higher, however the most effective within the league.
The talk is not whether or not Clark is the Rookie of the 12 months, however as a substitute whether or not Clark may play her manner onto the All-WNBA First Crew by season’s finish. Few gamers within the league have the offensive duty Clark has this season with the Fever.
Clark at present sits eleventh within the league in scoring. Nonetheless, not one of the 10 gamers above her common even six assists per recreation, not to mention the over eight Clark dishes out per contest. During the last two months, she is averaging 20.8 factors (fifth within the league) and 10.5 assists (first).
And the talk as as to if the Fever will make the postseason for the primary time since 2016 has slowly change into a debate about how excessive up the standings the group will end because the wins preserve piling up.
Clark has reworked the Fever franchise and the league as a complete. She’s change into one of many faces of the WNBA simply 30 video games into her profession, and it’s not nearly her recognition or about her being one of many subsequent ones up.
She’s already right here.
You may observe Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.
