Caitlin Clark etched her name in the WNBA history books after breaking the league record for the most assists in a game in the Indiana Fever’s narrow loss to the Dallas Wings. The guard dished 19 assists, surpassing Courtney Vandersloot’s mark of 18, which she set in 2020. Clark’s dazzling outing was her last for the Fever until August 16th. The WNBA will take a near-month-long Olympic break and the rookie isn’t too excited about it.
Advertisement
During her post-game press conference, the guard claimed she wasn’t keen on going a month without playing. Clark said,
“I told [Team WNBA coach] Christie [Sides], I was like, it’s probably going to feel really weird. Like I’m probably going to be like, anxious that I’m not touching a basketball–– but I need to not. It will be really good and then get back to Indianapolis and be there three weeks just training with the team.”
Caitlin Clark on the break, hinting she and the Fever will likely have that first week off: “I told Christie, I was like, it’s probably going to feel really weird. Like I’m probably going to be like, anxious that I’m not touching a basketball–– but I need to not.”
Full clip: pic.twitter.com/YvJ3Q3BrgK
— Matthew Byrne (@MatthewByrne1) July 17, 2024
Like Clark noted, she may not be looking forward to the month-long break but needs it. She played 39 games between November 2023 and April 2024 for the Iowa Hawkeyes, leading her alma mater to the NCAA National Championship Final for the second year running.
A week later, she was picked first overall in the 2024 WNBA draft and began preparation for her rookie campaign. She has been playing non-stop for 10 months and needs to rest.
Clark could’ve taken a well-deserved vacation to recuperate. However, she intends to return to Indianapolis in a week and resume training with the team. She even revealed she’ll use the Olympic break to work on her strength and shooting.
The young guard isn’t content with her already exceptional campaign. She intends to ensure she gets a taste of playoff action in her rookie campaign. The Fever are seventh in the standings and have 14 games left on their schedule. They are 2.5 games behind sixth-placed Phoenix Mercury and hold a 3.5-game lead over ninth-placed Atlanta Dream.
The Fever will likely be in the playoffs, provided they don’t have a meltdown on the other side of the Olympic break. Clark intends to work tirelessly to ensure her team secures a playoff berth and she gets her hands on the Rookie of the Year award.
