The first half of the WNBA season came to a close Wednesday night as the league will have a break for the All-Star Game in Phoenix this weekend and the Paris Olympics after that.
This downtime is a good time for reflection, especially for Indiana Fever first overall pick Caitlin Clark.
Yes, she will be in Phoenix to face Team USA as part of the WNBA All-Star Team, but since she was not named to the Olympic team (more on that later), Clark will have a chance to look back at what she has been able to accomplish, as well as the media whirlwind that seemingly began the moment she stepped onto a WNBA court.
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Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, handles the ball during the game on July 17, 2024, at College Park Center in Arlington, TX. (Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)
Let's take a look back at the beginning of Clark's WNBA career, starting with the numerous controversies she faced at her first press conference as a member of the Fever.
The drama of Gregg Doyel
Indy Star columnist Gregg Doyel's awkward comments toward Clark made headlines at his introductory press conference with the Fever, when he asked her if she “liked that” after making a heart with her hands before asking her a question.
The interaction eventually led to an apology from Doyel, and the Indy Star dropped him from the Fever team for the remainder of the season.
A'ja Wilson invokes race when discussing Clark's popularity
Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson told media at the start of the WNBA season that she believed race came into play when discussing why Clark was so immediately popular across the country.
“I think it's a very important thing. I think a lot of people might say it's not about black and white, but for me it is. It's actually because you can be great at who you are as a black woman, but maybe that's something people don't want to see,” Wilson told The Associated Press when asked about what role race might play in Clark's appeal.
““No matter what we all do as black women, we will always be hidden. That's why it makes my blood boil when people say it's not about race, because it is.”
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Wilson eventually changed the tone of his thoughts on Clark.
“She's learning and growing just like everyone else,” she said. “I feel like people don't give her a chance. We tell our rookies every day, 'This is new. You're coming into a whole new world and you're starting over.' So, these questions are annoying just because she's young. She's a rookie. We keep getting asked these questions like she's a grown woman who's been in this league for years. No, she's doing her job. We're doing ours, and at the end of the day, that's how we grow, when we get better and do things like that.”
Chennedy Carter Technology
It quickly became the WNBA foul heard around the world, when the veteran Chicago Sky guard shouldered into Clark, who was reaching for an inbound pass after a basket.
At the time it was considered a common foul, but the WNBA later upgraded it to a flagrant violation 1.
However, the foul became the hottest topic in sports as every talk show discussed the play and what it said about how Clark was being received in the WNBA.
Carter later finally answered questions about the foul, after initially refusing to talk about it. He said he had no regrets about what happened.
Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter (7) guards Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) on June 1, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Pat McAfee's 'white whore' comment goes viral
The sports personality was trying to defend Clark, but many believed he went too far when he referred to her as a “white b***h” during a monologue on ESPN's “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Pat McAfee later clarified that he had not insulted Clark.
“I shouldn't have used 'white whore' as a description of Caitlin Clark,” McAfee wrote. “It doesn't matter the context, even if we're talking about race being a reason for some of the things that happen. I have too much respect for her and women to put that out there in the universe.
“My intentions in saying that were complimentary, as was the whole segment, but a lot of people are saying that wasn't the case at all. That's 100% my fault and for that I apologize… I also sent an apology to Caitlin.
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He was left out of the Olympic team
Many believed Clark was destined to be part of the 12-woman team that would travel to Paris to represent the United States in women's basketball at the Olympics.
However, when the Olympic roster was announced, Clark was not on it.
Outrage erupted, especially after U.S. women's basketball selection committee chair Jen Rizzotti called it “irresponsible” to include Clark on the list, saying popularity had not come into play when deciding whether to include her.
Clark was optimistic, saying she only wanted the best for the team and hoped to be a part of it one day. But personalities such as Serena Williams, Stephen A. Smith, Paul Pierce and many others weighed in on the situation.
Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, and Angel Reese, #5 of the Chicago Sky, watch during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 16, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Angel Reese's head injury
The rivalry between these two players dates back to their wrestling days in college, so when Reese appeared to hit Clark in the head while trying to block her, the technical foul became the latest talking point in the WNBA.
Reese defended the play after the June 16 game, saying it was “a basketball play,” and Clark believed it too. But controversy began when social media picked up on it, as Clark had been roughed up in previous games.
WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes began questioning the coverage of Clark's fouls, saying “we can't make it look like she was assaulted.” Fellow WNBA player Swin Cash also called the way the media covered Reese's foul a “nasty job.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert would later appear on “The TODAY Show,” where she scoffed at the idea of players around the league targeting Clark.
Breaking records
Despite the controversies Clark has been embroiled in, the Fever's first overall pick has seemingly improved with each game he's played.
The stat sheet and record books back him up.
– WNBA single-game assists record: Wednesday night saw Clark's latest high, as he recorded 19 assists in a loss to the Dallas Wings on the road.
Courtney Vandersloot previously held the record with 18 assists, which she set on August 31, 2020.
– Fastest player to reach 400 points and 200 assists in a season: Not only did the 19 assists set a single-game record, but they also helped Clark reach another milestone, one that couldn't have been accomplished without his team-high 24 points.
Clark needed just 26 games to reach 400 points and 200 assists. The previous lowest mark in WNBA history was held by legend Sue Bird, who needed 33 games to achieve the feat.
Caitlin Clark, #22 of the Indiana Fever, handles the ball during the game on July 17, 2024, at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. (Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)
– A stat line never seen before in the history of the WNBA or NBA: Clark would have loved to get a win against the Washington Mystics on July 10, but she posted some stats that the NBA hasn't seen, let alone the WNBA.
Clark finished the game with 29 points, 13 assists, five rebounds, five three-pointers, five blocks and three steals. The WNBA reported that no player has ever had such a stat line in their league or in the NBA.
–First triple-double by a WNBA rookie: Clark faced the WNBA's top-ranked New York Liberty on July 6 and did something no other rookie has accomplished in their career.
She had 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds to record the first triple-double by a WNBA rookie in history. Her ability to score and dish out assists has been on display throughout the season, but Clark also did very well on the rebounds to help her team.
– Historical stars:Clark and Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese helped rewrite history, as it was the first time since 2014 that two rookies were named All-Stars in the same season.
Clark received the most fan votes when all were counted, being the only player to surpass 700,000 votes with 735. Her teammate, Aaliyah Boston, came in second with 618,680.
—
It's been quite a journey for Clark, who has managed to stay focused on the court despite the enormous attention she receives each night. But at the end of the day, this was to be expected after breaking NCAA records and attracting a whole new audience to women's basketball during her time at Iowa.
Clark still has the WNBA All-Star Game remaining, where many will be watching her matchup against the U.S. Olympic team, a team many believed she should have been a part of this summer.
Indiana Fever #22 Caitlin Clark poses for a portrait at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during her introductory press conference on April 17, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Matt Kryger/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Clark will have time after that to breathe and reflect on what she's accomplished, but in the second half she'll try to make the WNBA Playoffs in her rookie season.
The Fever are currently seventh in the league with an 11-15 record, with only eight teams making the playoffs.
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