Going from the college game to the pros is never easy, especially not in the WNBA since the end of the college season and the beginning of the W season are so close together. While most WNBA rookies are already in their twenties when they come into the league and have several years of college experience under their belts, veterans are still extremely valuable.
Even a generational talent like Caitlin Clark needed some help to adjust to her new league and team—or maybe even more so than others because of the hype surrounding her.
The Fever had some veterans, like Erica Wheeler and Kelsey Mitchell, around to support Clark on and off the court. While their presences were valuable, and particularly Mitchell played a role in the Fever’s return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, Clark revealed on the New Heights Podcast that it was someone else who helped her adjust the most.
Caitlin Clark shouts out Tamika Catchings for helping her adjust to the WNBA
Caitlin Clark is not the first superstar to suit up for the Indiana Fever. Before her, there was Tamika Catchings, who led the Fever to a championship in 2012. Catchings is a Fever legend, and according to Clark, wasted no time reaching out to the next big star headed to Indiana.
“She was one of the first people to text me after I got picked and still checks in on me,” Clark said when asked by Travis and Jason Kelce which veterans helped her out the most ahead of her rookie season in the WNBA.
She added, “That’s somebody I idolized and looked up to, and for her to just take, you know, two seconds to check in on me and see how I’m doing…that’s obviously special.”
Tamika Catchings retired after the 2016 season after spending her entire WNBA career in Indiana. The Fever had not made the playoffs since she retired until Clark came around in 2024. Clark has a lot of expectations to live up to and big shoes to fill in Indiana.
She jokingly noted on the podcast how Catchings’ championship trophy was sitting in a glass case in the Fever’s locker room right next to her, constantly reminding her of what is expected of her. If last season is any indication, the Fever won’t be a first-round exit for much longer and will soon go on a deep playoff run. They already have a big three in place with Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell.
There is a lot of pressure on Clark to excel early in her career, which makes it so much more special that someone who was in a similar situation several years ago makes a continuous effort to check in on her.