Caitlin Clark’s sophomore run with the Fever came to a halt much earlier than anyone expected. What started as preseason soreness never really went away, and by the time a groin injury shut her down, Indiana had to move forward without its star guard. They did, thanks to MVP finalist Kelsey Mitchell and All-Star Aliyah Boston, who carried the group into the second round of the playoffs.
For head coach Stephanie White, the bigger story was how Clark responded.
“I continue to be impressed with her work ethic,” White said. “She was somebody who was in the gym all the time. She works incredibly hard. She is a perfectionist. She doesn’t take plays off. For a player like her, I can imagine it’s very frustrating to be in a situation where you are not on the floor.”
Clark never drifted from the team. If anything, she found another way to lead.
“But what I am so absolutely proud of is her continuing to pour for her teammates. She is the number one cheerleader on the sidelines. She continues to be engaged in everything that we do… You’re hungrier when you’re not able to participate.”
It was a new experience. In Iowa, she played every night. Same in her rookie season. Stephanie White pointed out that sitting, while painful, might end up valuable.
“It sucks to not be able to play, but you can also gain a different perspective when you’re watching in the sideline,” White said.
“Being a voice for them”: Caitlin Clark stays engaged from the bench
The numbers before her injury showed her impact—16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.6 steals in 13 games. More importantly, Caitlin Clark refused to let the injury mute her voice.
“Being there for my teammates, being a voice for them, because that’s what I am when I’m playing, so you gotta still be that consistent voice when you’re sitting on the bench,” Clark said. “That’s been my focus, and I think that can kind of distract you from not actually playing when you just focus on your teammates and how I can serve them and help them.”
The Fever are still alive in the semifinals, set for Game 3 against Las Vegas. Clark won’t be in uniform, but her voice hasn’t gone anywhere.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
