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Rookie Caitlin Clark was notably absent from a team outing earlier this week in which a number of Indiana Fever players enjoyed a day on the lake to celebrate Grace Berger’s birthday. Now, we have insight as to why.
Clark spoke to the media with the Fever gearing up for a Friday night matchup against the Mystics. She said she just needed to get away for a bit following her worst performance as a pro.
The last time Indiana took the floor, their top pick struggled. Clark missed nine of her 10 shot attempts while recording as many points (3) as she had turnovers in a 104-68 loss.
That performance apparently stuck with Clark.
Here’s what she had to say while speaking to reporters on Wednesday after practice:
“Just getting away from basketball a little bit,” she replied when asked about her off-days. “Getting some sleep, getting some rest, and just taking care of my body.”
It makes sense given the brutal stretch that Indiana’s seen thus far. The Fever had played the most games in the WNBA to that point, which included competing in three games across four days this past weekend.
Indy received a four-day break following Sunday’s letdown, which was welcomed by everyone on the team.
While Caitlin Clark took the moment to rest, others celebrated with a teammate. Fever players hopped aboard a boat to spend Grace Berger’s birthday on the lake for some much-needed off-the-court fun.
We now know why Clark wasn’t in attendance, though narratives about turbulence within the locker room continue to spread.
Caitlin Clark shut the speculation down.
Many were already questioning the group’s support of Clark following an ugly incident with Chennedy Carter. Teammates did nothing in response to seeing her get unnecessarily shoved to the ground by the Sky guard, leading to immediate criticism from fans and media.
That recent boat day absence only fueled flames of strife amongst Fever players surrounding the rookie headliner.
Clark is doing her part to quiet the whispers. She says that while she wasn’t able to make it out to the lake, she did later grab dinner with her squad in what she called a chemistry-building night.
“It was one of our first team bonding things that we’ve actually had time to do,” she said of Tuesday’s team dinner. “It’s good to… hang out in a setting outside of basketball and get to know each other and laugh and not be so tense and serious.”
Everything is fine!
Teammate Kelsey Mitchell also spoke to the media, and she was asked about Clark in the media session. Mitchell said that it’s the team’s job to protect her on the court. That should lend a boost of confidence to a player that’s seemingly been targeted throughout her rookie year.
We’ll see if the rest and team bonding pay dividends for the group come Friday. Indiana is looking to land its third win of the season.