WNBA Rookie of the 12 months race is over, however Caitlin Clark is a lot extra than simply that

CHICAGO — Caitlin Clark smelled blood within the water as she crossed the halfcourt line early within the third quarter. Teammate Lexie Hull had lunged to the bottom to battle for a steal, and now Clark was off and working the opposite method one down the left aspect of the courtroom. The lone Sky defender in her method was Kamilla Cardoso, an enormous 6’7 heart and fellow member of the WNBA’s prized rookie class.

Cardoso had given Clark issues within the current previous. Her South Carolina Gamecocks decimated Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes within the nationwide championship sport solely 5 months earlier, ending Clark’s faculty profession one win shy of a hoop. Again then, Cardoso was a part of an opposition that had an amazing measurement, power, and athleticism benefit on CC and The Caitlinettes. Now, Clark had her proper the place she needed her.

Clark drove laborious at Cardoso’s chest till the defender had each ft within the paint. Then Clark put the ball between her legs going right-to-left, took two hops again, and drilled a pull-up three-pointer over the outstretched arm of one of many league’s greatest defenders.

Faculty is over, however Clark’s star remains to be shining as vivid as ever. The pace-and-space nature of the professional sport solely accentuates her world destroying ability set, and this time, she’s acquired far more expertise round her.

Clark’s triple began a 3rd quarter onslaught that turned a detailed sport right into a rout. The Indiana Fever beat the Sky, 100-81, in a matchup of two groups headed in reverse instructions.

Clark’s Fever are ascending, and have now taken maintain of the No. 6 seed within the WNBA Playoffs image. The Sky have misplaced 5 straight, and seem like a group caught in an identification disaster following their mid-season commerce of wing scorer Marina Mabrey. Perhaps it isn’t completely truthful to guage the Sky on this evening as they performed with out rising star guard Chennedy Carter, who missed her second straight sport in Well being and Security protocol, however nobody would say these groups are on equal footing anymore.

The Fever have a game-breaking famous person in Clark, and she or he is already blossoming into probably the greatest guards within the league barely 30 video games into her professional profession. Indiana began the yr 1-8 throughout a ridiculously condensed opening schedule that noticed Clark wrestle together with her scoring effectivity and turnovers because the followers complained she was being bullied. In actuality, Clark was getting the identical “welcome to the league” remedy that seems like a ceremony of passage for a sizzling shot rookie in any professional league.

Clark finally began to determine it out. After which she acquired some relaxation. The guard was left off america’ roster for the Paris Olympics in a choice that flamed the tradition wars. It left some with the impression that followers and media needed Clark coddled, to be handed all the pieces earlier than she had really earned it. However because the U.S. gained one other gold medal — undefeated since 1992! — Clark acquired the lengthy relaxation she badly wanted.

There was solely 5 weeks earlier than Clark’s remaining faculty sport and her first professional sport. The league needed Clark on TV as a lot as potential when the season opened, in order that they scheduled the Fever for 11 video games within the first 20 days of the schedule. Clark had each motive to really feel worn down earlier than her skilled profession had ever really started.

Because the Fever have taken the courtroom out of the Olympic break, nobody is complaining that Clark is being focused anymore. As of late, she’s the bully everybody else must be terrified of.

The Fever are coming collectively in a terrifying method, and Clark is the straw that stirs the drink. Indiana is 5-1 out of the Olympic break. Their offense is scoring 110.7 factors per 100 possessions over that stretch, which is the perfect within the league. Indiana is even as much as No. 4 in offensive effectivity on the season.

The Fever have some critical expertise with 4 gamers within the beginning lineup who have been both the No. 1 or No. 2 general choose of their respective draft courses. Massive Aliyah Boston is the reigning Rookie of the 12 months, and she or he continues to develop a punishing two-man sport with Clark as the inside scorer to enrich her lengthy distance assaults. Guard Kelsey Mitchell is a speedy off-ball scorer with deep capturing vary and a fast set off. Ahead NaLyssa Smith has needed to sacrifice photographs for the great of the group, however she’s a hell of a No. 4 choice.

Simply hearken to Mitchell speak in regards to the Fever’s chemistry proper now. Indiana often wears “Stranger Issues” impressed uniforms, however that is actually what’s scary for opponents.

Clark is the participant that makes all the pieces go. For all of her accolades as a prolific scorer and lethal three-point shooter, it’s her complete mastery of tempo and playmaking that has actually unlocked the Fever. The rookie’s capturing vary strikes concern into the hearts of defenders the second she crosses the halfcourt line, and that places everybody at her mercy.

Clark has a relentless dedication to pushing the ball down the protection’s throat. That’s a bodily exhausting model of basketball, however Clark is aware of she’ll come out forward with extra possessions and faster seems to be earlier within the shot clock. Her passing imaginative and prescient actually is immaculate, and she or he has complete confidence in her skill to string the needle with even the smallest opening. Certain, it contributes to her league-leading turnover numbers, however the buckets that she’s engineering are way more back-breaking for her opponents.

That is the third time I’ve seen Clark play this yr. I used to be within the fitness center at Northwestern in Feb. when Clark was chasing faculty basketball’s all-time scoring file and creating exceptional strains of followers outdoors of her video games. I used to be at a Sky-Fever matchup in June, the place Chicago — then with Mabrey and Carter within the lineup — had erased a 15-point fourth quarter deficit for a season-defining comeback win.

What’s completely different about Clark in late Aug.? For one, she positive doesn’t really feel like a rookie anymore. Sure, Clark is the apparent WNBA Rookie of the 12 months regardless of the media doing all the pieces it may well to drum up a race together with her former faculty rival (ESPN got here out with some fancy numbers this week that had Clark second! NBA 2K25 simply gave Clark and Reese the identical ranking!) Even that doesn’t fairly seize it, although.

The WNBA has a Rookie of the 12 months yearly. It has by no means had a Caitlin Clark earlier than, each by way of the swell of curiosity she’s bringing into the league, and her beautiful mixture of manufacturing and elegance instantly translating on the courtroom.

It was at all times unreasonable to count on Clark to stroll into the WNBA and be one of many league’s finest gamers upon arrival. In her protection, it took all of 30 video games. With Clark now cooking at an elite degree, Fever can begin dreaming of working the league. It most likely gained’t occur this yr with A’Ja Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces and Breanna Stewart’s New York Liberty standing in the way in which. Wilson and Stewart stay the 2 finest gamers alive, however it’s already apparent Clark is forcing her identify into the subsequent group of superstars who observe them.

Clark can also be not like the something the WNBA has ever seen due to how she will be able to beat you. She pushes the ball tougher than any participant within the league, and she or he’s a menace to attain from additional away from the basket than another participant alive. There are shades of so many different males’s and girls’s superstars in her sport, however at her core, she is a toddler of the model of the sport Stephen Curry helped form. Don’t fear, Clark gained’t have to attend till she’s 36 years outdated for her first Olympic gold medal.

Clark was requested in regards to the purported Rookie of the 12 months race with Reese earlier than the sport, and gave the kind of sound reply you’ll count on.

“I feel me and Angel would each provide the similar reply,” Clark stated. ”We don’t get up and take into consideration particular person awards. I do know that’s what all of you suppose we do. I do know we don’t. That’s what all people desires to make this about. Each of our groups are competing for playoff spots. That’s our fundamental focus.”

“For us, all people can write that however our focus is on successful basketball video games,” Clark stated. “It’s so simple as that. It’s about successful basketball video games. That was the identical story for us once we have been in faculty. When you’re taking part in basketball to win particular person awards, it doesn’t matter what degree you’re at, you’re doing it fallacious. That’s not enjoyable and that’s not being a great teammate.”

The awards and information hold coming for Clark within the WNBA identical to they did in faculty. The WNBA hasn’t handed her something. She simply retains getting hers.