Ten things Caitlin Clark said at her first Fever press conference
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Caitlin Clark said she’s ready to make waves in professional women’s basketball and hopes to help the Indiana Fever get back into the playoffs in her first year in the WNBA.
Speaking Wednesday morning during a news conference introducing her as the Indiana Fever’s newest player, Clark addressed numerous topics ranging from the bustling draft party held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, to the future of the league, to her consideration of Indianapolis as ‘a bigger Des Moines.’
Clark, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Fever in Monday’s WNBA Draft, also spoke about her appreciation for Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, her interest in the Olympics and the love of basketball across Indiana.
The Fever begin training camp April 28. The team’s first preseason game is May 3 at Dallas. Its season opener is May 14 at Connecticut.
Here are 10 things Clark said when answering questions from the media:
On what she’s most excited about with joining the Fever:
“There’s just so much talent on this roster and I’m very thankful—obviously Aliyah [Boston] has been one of my teammates before with USA basketball and I know firsthand how great she is. Obviously, there’s Erica Wheeler, somebody who’s had my back even when we weren’t really teammates yet, so … I’m super excited about that, because she’s been in the league for a really long time. As a point guard, you need somebody to lean on and have your back and ask questions. I don’t have all the answers and not everything’s going to be perfect. So, I’m going to need people like that to surround myself with, and I think this organization and this team is the perfect example of that.”
What she’s most looking forward to about Indianapolis:
“Honestly, this might sound very ‘small city’ of me, but it seems like a bigger Des Moines, in a way. Obviously it’s a little bit bigger than Des Moines. So that’s what I’m most excited about. I’m not like a huge, big city girl, so I feel like this is a perfect spot for myself—a place that loves basketball. But more than anything, this is in the Midwest. People might think I’m crazy for wanting to stay in the Midwest, but like that’s just who I am and it’s where my roots are. I love the people here.”
On 6,000 people attending the Fever’s draft watch party on Monday night:
“I think it just speaks to the excitement of what the summer is going to bring. Women’s basketball in this state is pretty incredible. [Former IU basketball player Grace Berger] knows that better than anybody else. I hated playing at Indiana and they hated me, so hopefully a lot turn into Indiana Fever fans, but I mean, they hated me for good reason. It’s a hard place to win. And 6,000 people just staring at a screen to see who gets picked in the draft is pretty incredible. So, I expect big numbers this summer.”
On how she keeps all the attention in perspective:
“It’s definitely hard, and I think, at times, it doesn’t feel real. The biggest thing is—I feel like I’m kind of stuck in a dream at times—I try to remember how grateful I am to have this opportunity and how there are so many people who would kill to be in my shoes, [even] when things seem like their long and I’m tired and I have to do this and I have to do that. I’m lucky to have these moments, and it can all be taken away from you in a second, so [I’m just trying to] enjoy every single second of it, give it my best. And I think that’ll work pretty well for me.”
On where she hopes the WNBA will be when she retires from playing professionally:
“I feel like it’s hard to really imagine what the league can be because I feel like it’s a place where a lot of people can’t even wrap their head around it—I feel like that’s where it can go. Obviously, a new [media] rights deal that can be negotiated would be life changing for a lot of players in this league—it would be a huge deal. But also, I think expansion is really important. This is … the most competitive league in the world. I think the biggest thing is just continue to give it an opportunity to continue to attract fans from the college game … when people gave [the college game] an opportunity and actually watched it, they continue to come back for more. It’s the same thing with the WNBA, when you go and buy a ticket or turn on the TV, you see how good it is. So I think continuing to attract fans in, and they’re going to see how amazing it is and how skilled these players are and how fun it is to support them. That’ll take it to a place that a lot of people probably can’t even imagine.”
On whether she’s looking forward to spending time with the Pacers, including Tyrese Haliburton, who in college played for Iowa University’s rival, Iowa State:
“I’ve watched the Pacers very closely. My boyfriend (team assistant Connor McCaffery) works for the Pacers, so I’m quite a fan. But Tyrese is incredible and I just want to congratulate him on being named to the USA National Team today, that was pretty special. It’s a really hard accomplishment, and obviously he played for a very terrible team in college, but it’s nice to be in the same city now. The thing I love about him is the way he passes the ball. I watch his game and it’s just incredible what he can do, but all of them across the board, too. Coach Rick Carlisle has been tremendous for them and it’s been a lot of fun to watch and, you know, I hope they beat the Bucks.”
On who she imagined playing against when she was growing up and the importance of the league for young girls:
“I grew up loving the Minnesota Lynx. I shouldn’t say that anymore. Oh, and Tamika Catchings, of course. But that was the closest WNBA team from where I grew up [in West Des Moines]. Minneapolis was four hours from my house and they had a dynasty there that was really easy to cheer for.
“But I think this league is very important and having young girls, young boys see women accomplishing really great things at the highest level and showing them that—sport teaches you a lot of life lessons. Having young girls involved in sports, I think that’s the best thing that has happened to me … it’s taught me so much more about life than it has basketball. It’s brought me a lot of lifelong friendships, it’s done some really amazing things for my family, taken me to places I never would have imagined, so I think the more eyeballs you can get on this league, you know, the better off this world’s going to be. So I’m just excited to join the League and be a part of that.”
On whether she wants to host Saturday Night Live, and what it was like to be there for the Weekend Update sketch last Saturday:
“I don’t think I’m ready for all that. I would be terrified. I was terrified for a three-minute skit. But it was incredible. I actually flew from LA to New York and I went right to the set. I woke up at 7 a.m. in LA, went right to the set … They kind of just throw you right into the fire. I know. I said I wrote the jokes, but obviously, I didn’t write the jokes; I’m not that funny.
“It was a good platform for women’s sports. Everybody loved it. And that was a great show, with Emily Blunt, Ryan Gosling and Chris Stapleton, Kate McKinnon—so many amazing people that came back and it was fun to be a part of. I was so nervous when I was right behind the screen before they rolled me into the set and we went live. My heart was about to explode out of my chest, but it was a good little skit and it was fun to be a part of it. Hopefully I can go back and do it again sometime.”
On the importance of making the cut of 12 players to be on this year’s Olympics team:
“I would love to be on the Olympic team and be in Paris in 2024, but that’s not up to me. I think just going about my business and doing exactly what I’ve done my entire career is the most important thing. My focus is completely here now, too, and I actually still need to earn my degree, too. So I need to graduate college first, or else my mom might kill me.
“That’s a dream when you grow up watching the Summer Olympics—to me it’s better than the Winter Olympics. I want to be on that team, I want to be an Olympic gold medalist one day and it really just be a dream come true. But everybody knows how competitive women’s basketball is on our country, so it’d be hard for really anybody to make that team.”
Any goals for her rookie season?
“I haven’t really thought about it. It’s hard. I think the biggest thing is we want to get back to the playoffs … win a lot of basketball games. I think for myself, I want to continue to be me and have a lot of fun, give myself grace.”