Caitlin Clark made WNBA history on Saturday and became the first rookie in league history to record a triple-double. It just goes to show that Diana Taurasi was absolutely correct all along!
The greatest scorer in college basketball history needed some time to adjust to the professional level.
Clark is the most popular player in the WNBA by a large margin even though she was only drafted by the Indiana Fever in April. Ratings continue to skyrocket and record-breaking crowds continue to follow her wherever she goes. Fans gather outside of arenas after games just to catch a glimpse of the superstar shooter as she drives by— like they would for Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Elvis, etc. She’s a rockstar!
Meanwhile, Clark is on fire.
Indiana is 6-3 in its last nine games. Its rookie point guard is averaging 15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game on 42.65% shooting during that stretch.
Clark most recently dropped 19, 12 and 13 in a five-point win over the New York Liberty. Even though it was the best performance ever by a first-year player, she remained remarkably humble and focused only on her assists— because it presented an opportunity to praise the team. Aliyah Boston had to interrupt!
Clark has officially arrived to the fullest extent after some up-and-down performances during the early going. There were some especially rough outings during the first month of the season!
Diana Taurasi was right about Caitlin Clark and the rookie class.
Taurasi, considered by many (if not most) to be the greatest of all-time, caught a lot of heat for her blunt warning to the rookie class. She said that “reality was coming” and previously joked with Sue Bird that veterans want to “kill rookies” on the court.
Both of those things were/are true!
WNBA veterans are finally starting to look out for Clark after being especially brutal toward her at first. That change in behavior also coincides with a string of extremely strong performances by the rookie class. Clark is coming into her own and the Fever is winning. Angel Reese is a double-double machine.
Taurasi suggested that this year’s highly-touted rookie class would be subject to a learning curve. She was correct. Clark and Reese needed a few games to get their bearings and now they’re two of the best players in the league. Veterans are giving them the respect they deserve. They are staying humble.