Fever coach Christy Sides may have drawn some backlash with comments she made explaining why Caitlin Clark should be named this season’s WNBA Rookie of the Year.
The Fever point guard naturally cheered for Clark after she made WNBA history by becoming the first rookie to record a triple-double in Saturday’s win over the Liberty, but she also rekindled comparisons to veteran guard Diana Taurasi.
“I’m always going to defend my players. First and foremost, she’s the most competitive person I’ve ever met,” Said said when asked if he would defend Clark’s Lawty Award win. “I really compare her to Diana Taurasi.”
“She’s always looking for ways to get better. ‘What can I do for the team? What can I do?’ … But she just wants to win. She just wants to win. To me, she’s my [WNBA] Every single day, every single day, he’s Rookie of the Year.”
Clarke’s game could be said to mirror Taurasi’s to some extent, but the rookie-versus-veteran dynamic has left some frustrated.
Taurasi, a three-time WNBA champion with a 21-year career, faced backlash when she first entered the league after telling Clark, who was still playing in the NCAA Tournament with Iowa in April, that “reality was going to set in.”
AP
The 22-year-old Clark and the 42-year-old Taurasi shared a few minutes on the court together for the first time in their careers at the Footprint Center on June 30 in a Fever-Mercury matchup dubbed “The GOAT” vs. “The LUKE.”
Sides also explained that the Fever’s teamwork and pace have evolved this season as the team improved to 9-13 over the weekend.
“She found her rhythm tonight,” Said said of Clark. “Our girls’ timing is getting better every game… Now they have the teamwork, they have the timing, and they’re going to get better.”
Clark finished with 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes of play in Saturday’s 17-4 win over the Liberty, putting him in a tie with the Sun for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
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Clark was humble when asked about the historic night.
“To be honest, I’m happy to win.” She said Speaking at the post-match press conference, he said: “I’m proud of myself for doing a lot of things for the team. Of course the 13 assists means my teammates took 13 shots off my passes, so that’s a credit to them. But I don’t know what to say. It’s amazing, I don’t know.”
“She’s very humble, you know?” said Fever forward Aaliyah Boston, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft out of Indiana University.
Clark is leading all WNBA rookies this season with 16.1 points per game and is also leading all rookies in assists with 7.4 per game.
Sky rookie Angel Reese follows suit, averaging 14.1 points.
Clark and Reese are the only WNBA rookies selected to the 2024 All-Star team.
Reese, the Sky’s seventh overall draft pick, made WNBA history by recording her 13th consecutive double-double in Sunday’s 84-71 loss to the Storm in Chicago.
The two teams, former college basketball rivals, saw boosts in attendance and television ratings after Reese and LSU defeated Clark and the Hawkeyes in the 2023 NCAA women’s national championship.
Their popularity has carried over to the professional level, where the WNBA has seen a huge increase in attendance and viewership, so much so that several teams have had to relocate their venues to accommodate the fans.
Clarke and Reese will play on the same team for the first time at the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game on July 20 in Phoenix.
