Caitlin Clark’s mantra as she takes on the WNBA: ‘Don’t lose the fun of it’
May 19, 2024 at 9:01 PM
Caitlin Clark has adopted a new mentality for her time in the WNBA.
TODAY’s Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager spoke to Clark at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the Indiana Fever’s game against the New York Liberty on Saturday.
Clark opened about how she is approaching the next chapter of her life as a WNBA newcomer.
Asked how it felt to be “the new kid in school,” Clark said, “It feels good. I mean, I think just the excitement and the energy around this league, around our team. But at the same time, I think just learning day by day. That’s going to be the biggest thing for myself.”
She continued, “And I think continuing to stack days, whether you learn one little thing or you learn a lot, I think continuing to improve is going to be the biggest part of it for myself. But also, don’t lose the fun of it.”
After setting records during her final season at the University of Iowa, Clark was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft and was selected by the Fever. She was expected to sign a four-year contract worth $338,000, according to Spotrac.
Clark made her pre-season debut in the league on May 3 against the Dallas Wings. While the Fever lost 79-76 to the Wings, Clark scored 21 points during the game.
“My biggest goal coming into tonight was to continue to be myself, play aggressive,” Clark said in a postgame interview. “I thought that’s what I did. I think there’s a lot to be proud of.”
The two-time national player of the year made her regular season debut for the WNBA on Tuesday against the Connecticut Sun. While the matchup marked the Sun’s first home-opener sellout since 2003, Clark struggled with 20 points and the Fever were defeated 92-71.
Despite the loss, the matchup became the most-watched game in WNBA history across ESPN platforms, according to the network. The game drew 2.1 million viewers and peaked at 2.3 million.