Caitlin Clark's wild first month in the WNBA
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Caitlin Clark's WNBA run has had plenty of moments so far, and none of them has been dull. Photo: Brian Fluharty/Getty Images
It has been a wild first 30 days on the job for Caitlin Clark.
Why it matters: We're just a month into the WNBA career of the Indiana Fever rookie sensation, and she's already generated a career's worth of headlines.
- In only 13 games as a pro, Clark has helped the WNBA set attendance and viewership records; became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 200 points and 75 assists; and landed a Wilson basketball deal not inked since Michael Jordan did it as a rookie in 1984.
Yes, but: Clark also set a record for most turnovers in a WNBA debut and felt the wrath of fans upset that she didn't immediately transform the Fever — which went 24-84 the three previous seasons and are now 3-10 — into a powerhouse.
Between the lines: The phrase "welcome to the WNBA" has been hurled at Clark as both a genuine introduction to the league, and as a warning that she isn't ready for the big leagues.
What she's saying: "It's like there's always gonna be a story no matter what I do, and that's just something I've tried to have to balance … it is what it is at this point. There's nothing I can do to control that. Just continue to go about my business in the way that I have. That's what comes with playing at the highest level," Clark said before Monday's road loss to the Connecticut Sun.
- "I'm 22-years-old. I'm new to this league … it's a lot to balance," she said. "I'm doing what I can to focus on basketball. But yeah, it's tough."
Driving the news: Clark — currently at the center of snub talk after failing to make the 2024 U.S. Women's Olympic basketball team roster — can only do so much to control the narrative.
- But she can control what she does on the court.
By the numbers: Clark currently has per-game averages of 16.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists.
- It's the hottest WNBA start of all time, and the best rookie season since Sue Bird was the No. 1 pick for the Seattle Storm in 2002. Bird was previously the fastest WNBA player to hit 200 points and 75 assists.
- But the turnovers that marred Clark's first game continue to haunt her. She is averaging 5.4 turnovers a game, and is on pace to beat the single-season turnover record of 137 set by the Sun's Alyssa Thomas last season when she averaged 4.3 turnovers per game.
Fun fact: While Clark has officially left other WNBA rookies in the dust, how does her first month as a pro compare to the first month of three NBA GOATs?
- As a rookie in 1984, Jordan averaged 27.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists. The Bulls had a 7-6 record after the first month and finished the season at 38-44.
- In 1996, rookie Kobe Bryant averaged 5.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists, and the Lakers went 9-4. They made it to the conference semifinals and had a 56-26 record.
- LeBron James entered the league from high school in 2003, averaging 17.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists while the Cavs went 4-9. They missed the playoffs and ended 35-47.
Caveat: The Lakers were the only "good" team of the bunch. The year before they got Black Mamba, they went 53-29 and finished second in the NBA Pacific Division.
What's next: Another opportunity to add to the stat line, for better or worse. The Fever's next game is Thursday night at Gainbringe Fieldhouse against the 5-5 Atlanta Dream.
If you go: The game tips off at 7pm.
- Tickets start at $7.
How to watch: On WTHR-13 or ESPN3.