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It doesn’t appear to have taken long for Caitlin Clark to have made a strong first impression on her new Indiana Fever teammates.
Clark and company had their first team photoshoot on Wednesday night on the streets of Indy, and the superstar rookie was rocking some series ice thanks to teammates Erica Wheeler and NaLyssa Smith.
Erica Wheeler and NaLyssa Smith let Caitlin Clark borrow their chains for our night time photo shoot 🥶 pic.twitter.com/3zQvNJqPoH
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) May 2, 2024
Former WNBA all-star Erica Wheeler and fellow teammate NaLyssa Smith lent Clark their diamond chains for part of the shoot and Clark looked more than happy to rock them.
Caitlin Clark Bonded With ‘Big Sister’ Erica Wheeler At Indiana Fever Photo Shoot
Wheeler, a 33-year-old, eight-year WNBA veteran has been a huge part of getting Clark acclimated to the league. She’s taken a role as Clark ‘big sister’ on the team and has been vocal about the importance of that role.
“I put it as like, you know, when you go to a different school, the first day of school you don’t know anybody,” Wheeler said of Clark. “Then, you find that one person that says hi to you, and they become your best friend. For me, I just wanted to get ahead of it because I know this transition is tough.”
But why be so welcoming to someone competing for your spot? Well, Wheeler says it’s simple.
“It’s how I was raised, I don’t have no hate in my heart,” she said. “I want everybody around me to win. Whether you are winning or not, I still want to push you to be great. So for me, I just thought, like, if I get ahead of it, I’m just making it comfortable right away. It’s just an easy, smooth transition. For me, I actually love it because I like being a big sister. I like helping first. I don’t really like getting help. So, it’s refreshing for me to be able to help her and be her big sister.”
When you consider the good vibes and two immense young talents in Clark and Aliyah Boston, the Fever might just b cooking with gas this season.