Early adversity blessing in disguise for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever

When the Indiana Fever selected Caitlin Clark at No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, the spotlight immediately shifted to Indianapolis. One of the greatest players in NCAA history, Clark entered the professional ranks with an unprecedented level of attention following her every move.

14 games into the 2024 WNBA season, Clark and the Fever have been on the receiving end of constant adversity, criticism, and defeat—and it couldn't be playing out any better for them.

Indiana is 4-10 through 14 outings, with three of its losses coming by at least 21 points. Clark has produced well on the surface, averaging 15.6 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, she's also shooting at a clip of .367/.322/.897 while committing 5.5 turnovers per contest.

With proven veterans looking to welcome Clark to the WNBA at every turn, the difficulty in making the jump from college to the pros is on full display.

Recent media-driven controversies have placed even more pressure on Clark to live up to the standards set by everyone but herself. That includes an omission from Team USA that had the talking heads in shambles—while Clark just wanted to take the time to congratulate her peers.

When the sports world was convinced that Clark had been snubbed, she responded by cheering on her fellow athletes.

"I'm excited for the girls that are on the team. I know it's the most competitive team in the world and I know it could have gone either way -- me being on the team or me not being on the team. I'm going to be rooting them on to win gold. I was a kid that grew up watching the Olympics, so it will be fun to watch them."

While adversity is something that no one should wish for another person to experience, it is inevitable—and Clark and the Fever are already learning to take it in stride.

The welcome to the WNBA moments were inevitable

No matter what sport you're a fan of, we've all seen it happen. An incredibly productive player enters the postseason for the first time in their career, and despite their success or even dominance in the regular season, suddenly crumbles beneath an unfamiliar level of pressure.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, an NBA All-Star, spoke candidly about his own experience during the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Per Jeff Schudel of The News-Herald:

"“I think it’s experience,” [Allen] said. “I think it (the playoffs) is a situation we were all looking forward to since we all got to Cleveland. We knew it was going to happen eventually. Even for me, the lights were brighter than expected.”"

A year later, the Cavaliers were back in the playoffs and advanced past the first round for the first time in six seasons.

It's a phenomenon that occurs all around the sports landscape, as inexperience often proves to be the undoing of players and teams in unfamiliar territory. Postseason experience can't be simulated, but if there's anything that can come close to it, it's happening in Indiana.

Clark and the Fever, despite being 4-10, are effectively playing postseason basketball on a nightly basis—and it's the perfect preparation for the pressure that's yet to build.

Every rookie has their welcome to the big leagues moment. New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson recently spoke about his own on the Roommates Show, remembering when then Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau relentlessly ran plays to exploit his weaknesses.

Six years later, Brunson is Thibodeau's franchise player with the Knicks—exactly what the Fever are hoping Clark will become for them.

It's better to struggle early than to be surprised by adversity later on

If Clark and the Fever are going to become WNBA champions in the future, then adversity is going to be something they'll need to learn how to overcome. The playoffs are a fiercely competitive time, and players and coaches exploiting your every weakness is a part of any series a player will appear in.

As such, teams and players making it their mission to welcome one of the biggest names in sports to the WNBA with toughness and physicality is an invaluable crash course in postseason play.

Clark plays a finesse style in which she attempts to overwhelm teams with her quickness, three-point shooting, and court vision. That's already a difficult strategy to execute in the playoffs, as referees tend to swallow the whistle and let defenders embrace the physical side of the game.

As such, Clark will need to bulk up and learn how to play her game in the face of physical defense at the highest level if she wants to realize her potential.

Thankfully for Clark and the Fever, that opportunity has already presented itself. Having to learn this on the fly while also attempting to keep up with the faster pace of the professional game is an extraordinary challenge, but it can forge a stronger individual player—and bond among teammates.

If Clark and co-star Aliyah Boston, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, can take it all in stride. then the Fever will have the 1-2 punch they've been dreaming of.

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are beginning to endure

The Fever began the 2024 WNBA season by losing five consecutive games, including the first two by a combined score of 193-137. Since then, the Fever have toed the line of .500 basketball with a 4-5 record that has pulled them within 1.5 games of the pace for a postseason appearance.

A crucial development in their season has been the quartet of Boston, Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and NaLyssa Smith beginning to find their form.

Each player has taken their turn in the spotlight, with Mitchell scoring a team-high 18 points in the Fever's first win of the season. Smith took center stage in the next victory, posting 17 points and nine rebounds against the Chicago Sky.

Clark then erupted for 30 points, eight rebound, six assists, and four steals during a win over the Washington Mystics, with Boston following suit by tallying 27 points and 13 rebounds in a win over the Atlanta Dream.

Indiana is now 3-2 over its past five games and is embracing a more well-rounded approach to offensive execution. The result has been teammates lifting one another when someone has an off night.

Despite this, many seem determined to make Clark bigger than the team—or, on the opposite side of the extreme debates, to suggest that she believes she is. Yet, at every turn, the Fever have responded to adversity with patience and the resolve of a veteran squad.

It may take time for Indiana to become one of the contenders in the WNBA, but there's something to be said about a team that's tested early and willing to learn from adversity.

The Fever are already on that path.