Caitlin Clark has plenty of fans outside the WNBA, but there are also a ton of people in the league who are supporting her, too.
One is Lexie Brown, who was traded to the Seattle Storm earlier this year. While speaking to the Full Circle podcast Friday, Brown laid out her longtime support for Clark, who she said "could potentially be one of the best point guards to ever play in the WNBA."
Brown and the show's host Mariah broke down what made Clark's game so fun for fans before she was drafted (the logo 3s, the repeated shot attempts), but noted that all the fervor over the flashier parts of her game may have inadvertently distracted from the reality that she's actually just a very, very talented basketball player.
The Fever wanted to give Caitlin Clark an "elite supporting cast"
Clark had a tremendous rookie season that ended with her being named Rookie of the Year and racking up several accolades and accomplishments. For her second season, Brown said, the Fever front office decided to "give her a more elite supporting cast and potentially not as many players that need to be spoon fed buckets."
That "supporting cast" includes 6-time WNBA All-Star and 2-time champion DeWanna Bonner, 3-time WNBA champion Natasha Howard, and 2-time champion Syd Colson, as well as Sophie Cunningham and Clark's returning teammates Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Lexie Hull. The team also drafted Makayla Timpson and Bree Hall this month, and both made the training camp roster.
Bonner, who most recently played with Fever Head Coach Stephanie White for the Connecticut Sun, will make an immediate impact on the team. Both she and Howard will bring much-needed defensive intensity to the team, something White has made clear is a priority. She's also played over 80 playoff games in her career, which is the kind of veteran experience the rest of the Fever (many of whom have only played 2 playoff games in the WNBA) will benefit from.
The Fever are true contenders this season
Brown and Mariah also agreed on one thing: the Fever are definitely contenders for the championship this year. It remains to be see if the team will manage to win it all, but it definitely seems clear that this season is being set up to be a very powerful one for the team.
In addition to fleshing out the roster, there have also been other front office changes for the Fever. In April the team hired Briann January, who was drafted by the Fever in 2009 and part of the championship-winning team in 2012, as an assistant coach. White had only positive things to say about adding January to this year's squad. January, she explained, "is part of the fabric" of what makes the Fever great. "Bri’s example of toughness, resilience, work ethic, communication style and basketball IQ will be a great resource for our players, staff and community," White added.
January "is a winner" and White added she is "very excited to continue our coaching journey together."