Caitlin Clark is having a historic rookie season with the Indiana Fever, solidifying her status as one of the WNBA’s brightest young stars. However, the spotlight she constantly attracts might be casting a shadow over her teammates, according to a former WNBA legend.
Sheryl Swoopes, regarded as one of the greatest guards in WNBA history, has made waves recently by claiming that some of Clark’s teammates are frustrated with the intense attention surrounding the No. 1 overall pick. Swoopes has been vocal about her mixed feelings toward Clark’s rise, and during an appearance on Gilbert Arenas’s podcast, she suggested that several Fever players might be looking for a way out of Indiana.
According to Swoopes, the overwhelming fanbase that follows Clark can sometimes go too far. “There’s a lot of other [expletive] going on that players are like, ‘This ain’t where I want to be.’… It’s a lot,” Swoopes said. “You have players that are very significant on this Indiana Fever team that are like, ‘This ain’t where I want to be.'”
One piece of evidence Swoopes pointed to was Aliyah Boston’s decision to delete her social media accounts earlier in the season. Boston, one of the Fever’s other key players, made the move after the team’s tough 1-8 start to the year. Although the team has since rebounded and secured a postseason berth, the early struggles, combined with the constant attention surrounding Clark, may have taken their toll on some players.
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“So what happens when Aliyah ain’t playing well again?” Swoopes asked. “As a player, do you want to continue to stay in a situation where you keep yourself vulnerable to all of the hate that you know is going to come to you if you’re not playing the way everyone thinks you should be playing?”
Swoopes acknowledged that not all of Clark’s teammates feel the same way, but she suggested that a few might benefit from moving on to other teams. “Not every player who’s a free agent should leave because the grass probably ain’t gonna be greener for you,” Swoopes said. “But a player like Kelsey Mitchell — Kelsey Mitchell could be very valuable to any team.”
Despite the rumored frustrations in the locker room, Clark remains focused on the Fever’s playoff run. The rookie phenom addressed the upcoming WNBA playoffs, expressing no preference on who the Fever face in the first round. “I don’t have a preference, no,” Clark said in a recent interview with reporter Matthew Byrne. “I think that would be kind of crazy.”
Clark added that her approach to the playoffs will remain consistent no matter the opponent. “I just think wherever we go, we go, and you prep the same exact way as you would prep for anybody else. Obviously, there’s a little more on the line, but it’s basically going to be new for every single person in our franchise, minus a few players.”
The Fever have made significant strides in Clark’s rookie season, with the 2024 WNBA playoffs scheduled to kick off on Sunday, Sept. 22. Four first-round games will take place that day, and the Fever will be competing to make their mark in the postseason.
Whether or not the rumors of unrest in the locker room are true, Clark’s focus remains on helping her team succeed in the playoffs.
Still, with Swoopes stirring the pot and questions lingering about how well Clark’s teammates are adjusting to the constant spotlight, it will be interesting to see how the Fever navigate their playoff journey—and what the future holds for their roster.
