Many identify Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark as one of the faces of the WNBA. From her days at the University of Iowa, Clark captivated fans with her ability to shoot and make plays.
With a record of 5-5, Indiana broke out of the gate as a bit of a disappointment. A two-time NBA champion offered his take about the Fever and their standout player.
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Former NBA C Mychal Thompson Questions Indiana Fever’s Use of G Caitlin Clark
After losing to the New York Liberty on Sunday, Indiana sits at .500. More importantly, some believe that the team does not utilize Clark’s skills. Thompson appeared on the ” Fearless with Jason Whitlock” show to discuss.
” Never seen this in any sport. It would be like taking the serve away from Serena Williams. Like taking the bat out of (Shohei) Ohtani’s hand, turning him into a singles hitter,” proclaimed Thompson, who played twelve seasons as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Lakers.
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In essence, he believes that Fever coach Stephanie White’s offensive system is stifling Clark’s game.
“They’ve taken away Caitlin’s superpowers. You build around a franchise player. It seems like they brought the franchise player in to play they want to play, as opposed to adapting to her style. ” Thompson asserted.
In recent weeks, Clark and White have had issues, even some catching the lens of a camera. Clark thrives with the ball in her hands. She will create a shot for herself or space the floor, allowing either an entry pass into the post or a teammate to cut to the basket.
In all honesty, Clark’s offense may not be the overarching issue; the defense may be. After ten games this year, Indiana surrenders an average of 86.6 points per game. That speaks to teams feeling comfortable with isolating one-on-one on individual Fever players or running plays that find the open shooter. Social media buzzed with various clips of opponents taking advantage of Clark’s defense.
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Sitting at 5-5, the Fever hold the No.8 spot in the league. Additionally, the offense remains one of the most potent units in the league, and Clark dishes out more assists than anyone. As a result, it does not appear to squarely focus on her offensive contributions.
Currently, the Minnesota Lynx sit atop the league standings and appear to be the early frontrunner. Either way, Clark and the Fever must find a way to start stacking victories. If not, the playoff chase will continue to put pressure on them.
