As Caitlin Clark gears up for her highly anticipated WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever, veteran teammate Erica Wheeler is extending a warm welcome and offering her support, even at the expense of potentially losing her starting position.
Wheeler, who shares the starting point guard role with Clark, has embraced the arrival of the top draft pick not as a threat but as an opportunity to foster team spirit.
According to USA Today, Wheeler explained her inclusive approach, stating:
“It’s how I was raised, I don’t have no hate in my heart,” Wheeler said, according to USA Today. “I want everybody around me to win. Whether you are winning or not, I still want to push you to be great.”
“So, for me, I just thought, like, if I get ahead of it, I’m just making it comfortable right away. I actually love it because I like being a big sister. I like helping first. So, it’s refreshing for me to be able to help her and be her big sister,” Wheeler added.
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Clark has expressed her gratitude for such a supportive environment, noting Wheeler’s genuine desire for her teammates’ success. “She’s going to push me, hold me accountable, she’s going to find ways to help me learn, but at the same time, she’s going to have my back every single day, and that’s something I’m really grateful for coming into this league, having a vet that really wants the best for you is special,” Clark told USA Today.
Last month, the 22-year-old basketball phenom, who set records at the University of Iowa, was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft. The WNBA announced the pick on X (formerly known as Twitter), highlighting the momentous occasion.
Clark is set to play her first preseason game with the Fever on May 3, with her regular season debut scheduled for May 14 against the Connecticut Sun.
