Latest news with #2024AthleteoftheYear
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paige Bueckers Getting Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Treatment
You do not have to look far to see the similarities between WNBA stars Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. As the last two No. 1 overall draft picks, both players made history in college basketball before bringing legions of fans from the UConn Huskies to the Dallas Wings and from the Iowa Hawkeyes to the Indiana Fever, respectively. Advertisement Both entertaining guards will feature prominently in the WNBA's opening weekend of the 2025 regular season. Bueckers makes her professional debut on Friday night against the Minnesota Lynx at 7:30 p.m. ET on ION. Clark follows on Saturday with Indiana's season opener at 3 p.m. ET on ABC against another WNBA showstopper — Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky. Paige Bueckers is interviewed by ESPN after being selected with the number one overall pick to the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Carchietta-Imagn Images Amid the Fever-Sky showdown and other marquee contests like the Golden State Valkyries' first game against the Los Angeles Sparks and the rematch of the past two WNBA champs between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty, SLAM magazine left little doubt what it is looking forward to this weekend. Advertisement The famous hoops publication awarded Bueckers and her Wings teammates a special edition cover for its 2025 WNBA season preview, putting her star power in orbit much like Clark and Reese early in their pro careers. Bueckers may not be the best player on the team — that would be all-WNBA guard Arike Ogunbowale, who is rightfully front and center of the SLAM cover. All three players, including free agent pickup DiJonai Carrington, got their own unique digital covers as well. The truth is, Ogunbowale was not putting the 9-31 Wings on news stands last season. Fairly or not, that kind of marketing power has followed some of the league's youngest stars. Advertisement Clark and Reese are joint cover stars of Athlon Sports' 2025 WNBA Preview, following the commemorative edition Athlon made to celebrate Clark's record-breaking 2024 Rookie of the Year campaign. The Fever star also graced the cover of TIME as its 2024 Athlete of the Year, while Reese's catalogue of cover shoots includes Vogue and SLAM's 250th edition. "It's crazy, I went from being the oldest and I guess the vet on the UConn team to being the youngest here, or one of the youngest,' Bueckers told SLAM ahead of her WNBA Debut. 'I'm [continuing] to stay humble, stay hungry and working to be the best teammate, best leader I can be, [and] working to find my voice. Obviously, I don't have as much experience, but I still feel like I have a lot of knowledge and wisdom for the game and a lot of love for it.' Advertisement Related: Fans Waste No Time Comparing Paige Bueckers to Caitlin Clark Related: Caitlin Clark Gets Big Reality Check From Indiana Fever Coach
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark Is Rested, Ready to Be Her Best After Offseason Recharge
[Editor's note: This article is from Athlon Sports' 2025 WNBA Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.] After a year in which Caitlin Clark lived in the national spotlight, the Indiana Fever star finally had what she hadn't enjoyed in a long time: a real offseason. Advertisement For the first time since she was in middle school, the NCAA's all-time leading scorer and now centerpiece of the Fever (and WNBA) wasn't rushing from one basketball season to the next. No Final Four to prepare for. No USA Basketball commitments on the immediate horizon. No whirlwind travel schedule — unless you count the occasional speaking engagement or round of golf. Even when she recorded her latest national commercials, brands such as State Farm and Gatorade came to her in Indianapolis. Now firmly rooted in Indy, Clark used this rare offseason to rest, recharge and prepare for her second WNBA season. Even though she values her time away from the spotlight, she accepts and embraces her role as one of the faces of women's basketball. And in true Caitlin Clark fashion, she's doing it all with grace, humor and unmatched competitive drive. Since her breakout sophomore season at Iowa, Clark has been in near-constant motion. The year-round cycle of college basketball, offseason training and personal interests left little room for rest. But this offseason, that changed for Time magazine's 2024 Athlete of the Year. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark waves to her former college teammates at the Big Ten women's basketball tournament game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Wisconsin Badgers in Indianapolis on March 5, 2025. Grace Smith / IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images From Tee Boxes to Big-Time Events Clark didn't spend all her offseason in the gym. She also made time for a little fun. Advertisement As the Fever's season concluded, fans wondered about her next move. Would she participate in offseason leagues? Head overseas? Clark's comments hinted at a different kind of activity, and it went over the heads of many. With a touch of her characteristic humor, she joked about becoming a professional golfer. 'Now everyone thinks I'm such a good golfer,' she later said at Pelican Golf Club in Clearwater, Florida, ahead of her first of two pro-ams. 'I set myself up for failure with that.' But when Clark puts her mind to something, she's all in. After the season, she practiced at local courses and hired a golf pro to get her prepared. At the pro-am prior to the ANNIKA — Annika Sorenstam's LPGA event in November — she played the front nine with world No. 1 Nelly Korda and the back nine with the legendary Sorenstam. Advertisement 'I've practiced a little bit, and I just had the quote about becoming a professional golfer,' Clark said. 'Everybody thought I was serious. I was not serious. I love it. I love being outside and making it competitive with my friends. That's what's been fun about it.' Clark's presence at the first pro-am boosted ticket sales by 1,200%. By the time she arrived at the 18th green, hundreds of patrons were waiting to get a glimpse of Clark in a different arena. Other groups had only a handful of spectators. Clark is one of the most in-demand pro athletes in the world. That has empowered her to decline potentially lucrative deals and appearances — such as a seven-figure salary and equity in startup 3v3 league Unrivaled, and an invitation from the NBA to participate in a shooting contest as part of All-Star Weekend in San Francisco. Rather than overextend herself, she prioritized her individual training and offseason work. Also, she wants her first 3-point contest to be in Indianapolis, which will host WNBA All-Star Weekend for the first time in July. Advertisement Clark has involved herself in many other activities, including serving as a producer for 'Full Court Press,' a docuseries on ESPN+ in conjunction with Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions that follows the lives of several elite women's college basketball players. She was featured in the first season. Clark was a special guest on Indianapolis native David Letterman's Netflix show 'My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.' Tickets to the private taping at Ball State University sold out in minutes. Then the NFL, the strongest brand in sports, wanted to hear from Clark. So they invited her to the owners meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, to speak on a panel with Serena Williams and Eli Manning, cementing her status as a prominent figure in the wider sports landscape. While playing in the NBA Global Games in Paris in January, Indiana Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton fielded a question about Clark. 'She's just an amazing person, an amazing player,' he replied. 'I think when it comes to the game of basketball, she's probably in the top-five most famous people that are playing right now. Just in general, that includes our league (NBA) as well. Advertisement 'And she handles it with such grace, and she's like such a cool person. At the end of the day, she's just a girl from Iowa who's just really good at basketball, and it's really cool to see what she does.' Golf legend Annika Sorenstam and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark celebrate after a shot during the ANNIKA pro-am tournament at Pelican Golf Club on Nov. 13, Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Last season, the Fever averaged a TV audience of 1.2 million viewers per game and attracted in-person fans from all 50 states and more than 15 countries. They wanted to see No. 22 in action and experience the movement. 'She's like Taylor Swift 2.0,' said Stephanie White, her new head coach who watched from afar with the Connecticut Sun last season. 'She has that much stardom and fandom. She certainly is a generational talent. She's handled this with such grace and poise. And at the end of the day, she's just a basketball player who wants to go out and be the best that she can be.' If only it were that simple. Advertisement Talent, money and fame complicate life, too. She's easily recognized, and even most casual sports fans know who she is and appreciate that she's elevated her sport — selling out arenas, appearing all over national TV and bringing new fans to the women's game. Clark feels like everybody's watching her every move. Because they are. She needs security to attend public events; her appearances aren't usually advertised beforehand; and like on the basketball court, her eyes are constantly reading the room. 'I try to be the best human I can every day,' she said after the season. 'I try to give people time if I have it. And it can be hard because there are moments where you don't always want to pose for a picture; you just want to go and get your sandwich and eat your lunch. But I feel very thankful. I wouldn't change anything for the world. 'I feel very thankful for the relationships I built, the opportunities that I've had, the way people have supported me. And whether it was at Iowa or whether it's now at the WNBA, they have really supported me and loved watching me play basketball and watching my teams play basketball.' Caitlin Clark hits a tee shot in the ANNIKA golf tournament Pro Am at Pelican Golf Club on Nov. 13, Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Staying Local, Training Hard While many WNBA players head elsewhere during the offseason, Clark made the deliberate choice to stay in Indianapolis, even getting an Indiana driver's license. Advertisement Clark wasn't sure what this unusually quiet part of her young life was going to be like. For years, school and basketball dictated her schedule year-round. 'It's going to be nice, though, getting out of the spotlight and just getting to live my life and do things that I want to do,' she said. This period in her life gave her time to reflect on the past 12 months while also focusing on resting and building her body. Time to catch up on sleep. Time to go through drills at her pace and not have to prepare for another life-changing event in two weeks — like going from the national title game to the WNBA Draft, and then to training camp. Clark, who turned 23 in January, did things on her terms. Being in Indy also allowed her to attend two of the three Taylor Swift concerts at Lucas Oil Stadium, including one as Swift's guest. Her only disappointment was not attending the final show. Advertisement 'I think just the way Taylor unites people and brought the city of Indianapolis and even the people that traveled here to enjoy it. My mom flew in, and she said the airport was just crazy. … I think it was such a cool thing to experience.' Then in mid-January, just before her birthday, she took Swift up on her offer to join her in the suite for a Kansas City Chiefs playoff game. The West Des Moines, Iowa, native grew up a Chiefs fan, plus it was Swift. Of course, she was going to enjoy it. Like Swift, Clark's aspirations are big. And her focus is on the daily process. As much as Clark is a night owl, she also likes to get to the gym early and knock out a workout and lift. The Fever excited fans when the digital team occasionally posted photos from her workouts. However, she mostly worked in silence, as it should be. Caitlin Clark 2024 WNBA stats G PPG RPG APG FG% 3-pt FG% 40 19.2 5.7 8.4 .417 .344 In the seven months between seasons, she had two individual goals: get stronger and add a reliable floater to her arsenal. Known for her deep 3-pointers and incredible passing, Clark didn't feel as confident in her midrange game. Advertisement During her rookie season, she was immediately pressed full court — as in all 94 feet — like it was a playoff game. No other player consistently faced that level of pressure. The physicality of the league was the biggest adjustment, along with frequently facing athletic bigs who were lengthy and quick. Defenses trapped heavily, and both she and her teammates improved how they attacked. Now, as she heads into Year 2, things look quite a bit different with the Fever. Just four other players are returning. Adding experience to go along with the three foundational pieces of Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, this Fever team moved from a rebuild one year ago to become a championship contender. That's because of Clark. Advertisement The Fever's goal last season was to simply return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and they accomplished that. First-round series are best-of-three, and under the previous WNBA playoff format, the first two games were played at the higher seed. So the Fever, who sold more tickets all season than any other team (home and away), never got to host a playoff game. That format was changed shortly after the season ended to ensure that all playoff teams host at least one playoff game — part of the evolution of this young league. 'Next year, we're wanting to be a top-four seed,' said Clark. 'We believe we can build this place into a championship contender. That's what I believe. I'm going to do everything in my power to help this organization get there. But you've got to let it hurt you a little bit and really drive you throughout the offseason.' Advertisement What's even more impressive is that Clark said all this before the significant changes occurred. That, in part, has helped fuel her offseason. She enjoyed a remarkable first season, earning Rookie of the Year and All-WNBA first-team honors, and she still has more goals to strive for. 'I think just as a point guard and as a leader, there are a lot of areas that I can continue to improve,' she acknowledged. 'And I'm a competitor and somebody that loves to work. 'So it won't be hard for me to want to get in the gym and to get even better and get better for my teammates.' Stephanie White speaks at a press conference to introduce her as head coach of the Indiana Fever on Nov. 4, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Mykal McEldowney / IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Fever's Offseason Overhaul The Fever are all-in. They understand that drafting Clark at No. 1 completely altered the trajectory of the franchise, and they don't want to waste a single season. Advertisement The team announced plans for a $78 million state-of-the-art practice facility right by Gainbridge Fieldhouse, signaling a significant investment in the team's future. Set to open before the 2027 season, it will easily be the largest in the league at 108,000 square feet. It will include lifestyle elements such as a hair and nail salon, child-care space, production studio for player content and mental performance spaces to help athletes off the court. They already had their own practice court and weight room, but this takes things to another level. Moreover, the Fever brought in a new front office and a new coaching staff, and they will have up to seven new players. 'There's a lot of change, and I think it's a lot of change for the better,' said guard Lexie Hull. 'We're building a really exciting team, a team that's going to be chasing that championship ring.' White, who was born in Indiana, won a national title at Purdue and was previously on the Fever staff, is taking over for a coaching staff that was hired for a rebuild. She will help tremendously as a smart, experienced coach — and someone who serves as a TV game analyst during the offseason. No coach will talk or be in the spotlight more than White, who can help her team with handling that component as well. Advertisement Her team in Connecticut last season boasted the league's top-ranked defense. The Fever's offseason focused on bringing in experienced, championship-level players who could be versatile, shoot and defend. DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard are the two big-name additions. 'I think it'll be a lot of fun to get in the gym and be with my teammates and just start putting the pieces together and see what works, what doesn't work,' Clark said. 'We're going to have a lot of different options to do a lot of different things, and I think that's what's super exciting about it all.' The appeal for free agents to join Clark with the Fever is obvious. Adding White and her coaching staff helped seal the deal. 'I would think that if you are a smart basketball player and you watch the way she plays, you would want to play with [Clark],' said Kelly Krauskopf, the original architect of the franchise who returned to her post as team president. 'Much like Tyrese Haliburton, she gets you the ball in places that you didn't even know you were open because she passes to space, she finds openings and ways to free up other players. Advertisement 'I think it's an easy picture to paint to free agents.' The team scheduled a preseason game against the Brazilian national team at the University of Iowa. Loyal Hawkeyes fans snatched up 15,000 tickets in less than 45 minutes. Wherever she goes, whatever she does, the fans follow. Indiana Fever president of basketball and business operations Kelly Krauskopf speaks at a press conference at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Feb. McEldowney / IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Clark's Growing Brand — and the WNBA's Boom It's not just the Fever benefiting from Clark's growing stardom. Merchandise sales and social media views have soared. League attendance was up 48% over the 2023 season, and every network that aired a WNBA game set a viewership record. Clark's entrance into the WNBA led to its most-watched season, including an increase of 211% for fans under 35. Advertisement 'We've seen such a huge inflection of attention, and the way she plays the game, I think that's going to be sustainable,' Krauskopf said. 'There's something about the way she plays the game — her passing, her shooting — that people really identify with.' Perhaps the best illustration was the TV viewership for the 2025 Final Four. The women's championship game drew 8.5 million viewers, which is huge compared to previous standards. However, that was down significantly from the staggering 18.9 million who tuned in the year before, when Clark's Iowa team lost to South Carolina. That year's game outdrew the men's championship game for the first time. 'I think the Fever in general — they're like rock stars,' added Haliburton. 'They are a big part of the growth behind that league, and they will be a big part of that moving forward.' Clark made the Fever must-see TV. Now that she has finally enjoyed an offseason, she's prepared for an even bigger year ahead. Advertisement Related: Athlon Sports 2025 WNBA Preview Magazine Available Now Related: Fans Feel the Chills With Latest Caitlin Clark, Fever Video Related: Caitlin Clark Makes Her Opinion of New Fever Teammate Extremely Clear
NBC Sports
28-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Stronger Caitlin Clark gears up for 2nd WNBA season with a revamped and upgraded Fever roster
Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark slapped the court with both hands and started gesturing in her side's direction after forcing a 5-second call near the end of Tuesday's practice. It was only Day 2 of training camp, yet this is what Clark has yearned for these past seven months — going back to work with a new coach, a revamped roster and even higher expectations in her second WNBA season. After leading the Fever to their first playoff berth in eight years, winning the league's Rookie of the Year Award, being named Associated Press 2024 Female Athlete of the Year and Time magazine's 2024 Athlete of the Year, Clark returned to Indianapolis a stronger, wiser player, more determined to win the championship that eluded her in college. 'It was an adjustment sure, because I was so used to playing minutes for, well, basically a year of my life. That's all I did,' Clark said. 'So the rest was good. I thought it was going to feel long and it really didn't. We were in here all the time. But that rest aspect, just getting my body where it needed to be and really on things I needed to work on was super important. But I'm ready to compete again.' It was a well-deserved vacation for perhaps the busiest player in women's basketball. She capped her final college season by playing a 39-game schedule while leading Iowa to a second straight national championship game. One week after losing to South Carolina, the Fever drafted her No. 1 overall and 13 days after that, training camp opened. Following a brief preseason, Clark made her regular-season debut May 10. That started a grueling 42-game grind during which the Fever overcame a 1-8 start to finish 20-20. Then they were swept out of the playoffs. The only real stoppage for Clark during that 81-game, 10 1/2-month span was the monthlong Olympic break. Clark's impact Clark turned sellouts at college and WNBA games into the norm as she found her every move scrutinized on social media. Fans complained she was being treated poorly by the league's older players and some even argued the physical play was racially motivated. Her friendships and relationships became all the rage, and nothing seemed to be off limits. But Clark never complained, never bowed to the pressure and used this seven-month break to focus on being herself. She completed one bucket list item — attending the final round of The Masters earlier this month — and had her college jersey retired. She attended a Taylor Swift concert, an NFL game with Swift and, of course, Pacers games. Now, though, she sounds refreshed as she sings the praises of a veteran team full of title dreams and championship resumes from coach Stephanie White to teammates Natasha Howard and 37-year-old DeWanna Bonner. And the early returns seem to show the personalities are a perfect match. 'Everything is just absolutely good,' All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell said. 'It feels fresh. It feels kind of like when you take your clothes out of the dryer. It just feels different and it feels good because we have new leadership.' New look It's not just the overhauled roster, either. Mitchell, one of the few holdovers left from last season, also sees a different version of Clark, one showcased in a photo posted on social media last month. 'From a physical standpoint, her strength and her ability to make plays that people don't think about — that skip pass from here to here,' Mitchell said. 'A person of her caliber, it seems small but it's going to help her go from having 10 assists to 12. And then after that the professional learning, watching film, knowing what you need.' Just the thought of an improved Clark this season could make opponents jittery. Clark led the Fever in minutes (35.4 per game) and steals (1.3), shared team scoring honors with Mitchell (19.2 points), and broke the WNBA's single season mark for assists with 337. Not bad for a rookie trying to fit in and find her way. But the intensity and passion Clark plays with, even in practice, seem to have her more comfortable playing the leading role from the start of this season, too. 'She doesn't waste reps and she literally embodies the value that how you do anything is how you do everything — whether it's a ball-handling drill or a shooting drill or setting screens,' White said. 'She approaches it with such a discipline that she doesn't waste time, and I appreciate that.' Big goals Clark, meanwhile, is just focused on winning games. The Fever will play at her alma mater and Notre Dame in the preseason, with the real tests set to begin with Indiana's season opener May 17 at Chicago and her old rival, Angel Reese. And you can bet, Clark will be just as eager to celebrate then as she was in practice. 'Don't get me wrong, I love basketball, like that's one of the most fun things in the world,' she said. 'We had a great year and eventually getting away from that, I came to a point where I was itching to get back in here after like a month. So I'm happy to be back.'
San Francisco Chronicle
28-04-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Stronger Caitlin Clark gears up for 2nd WNBA season with a revamped and upgraded Fever roster
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark slapped the court with both hands and started gesturing in her side's direction after forcing a 5-second call near the end of Tuesday's practice. It was only Day 2 of training camp, yet this is what Clark has yearned for these past seven months — going back to work with a new coach, a revamped roster and even higher expectations in her second WNBA season. After leading the Fever to their first playoff berth in eight years, winning the league's Rookie of the Year Award, being named Associated Press 2024 Female Athlete of the Year and Time magazine's 2024 Athlete of the Year, Clark returned to Indianapolis a stronger, wiser player, more determined to win the championship that eluded her in college. 'It was an adjustment sure, because I was so used to playing minutes for, well, basically a year of my life. That's all I did," Clark said. 'So the rest was good. I thought it was going to feel long and it really didn't. We were in here all the time. But that rest aspect, just getting my body where it needed to be and really on things I needed to work on was super important. But I'm ready to compete again.' It was a well-deserved vacation for perhaps the busiest player in women's basketball. She capped her final college season by playing a 39-game schedule while leading Iowa to a second straight national championship game. One week after losing to South Carolina, the Fever drafted her No. 1 overall and 13 days after that, training camp opened. Following a brief preseason, Clark made her regular-season debut May 10. That started a grueling 42-game grind during which the Fever overcame a 1-8 start to finish 20-20. Then they were swept out of the playoffs. The only real stoppage for Clark during that 81-game, 10 1/2-month span was the monthlong Olympic break. Clark's impact Clark turned sellouts at college and WNBA games into the norm as she found her every move scrutinized on social media. Fans complained she was being treated poorly by the league's older players and some even argued the physical play was racially motivated. Her friendships and relationships became all the rage, and nothing seemed to be off limits. But Clark never complained, never bowed to the pressure and used this seven-month break to focus on being herself. She completed one bucket list item — attending the final round of The Masters earlier this month — and had her college jersey retired. She attended a Taylor Swift concert, an NFL game with Swift and, of course, Pacers games. Now, though, she sounds refreshed as she sings the praises of a veteran team full of title dreams and championship resumes from coach Stephanie White to teammates Natasha Howard and 37-year-old DeWanna Bonner. And the early returns seem to show the personalities are a perfect match. 'Everything is just absolutely good,' All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell said. 'It feels fresh. It feels kind of like when you take your clothes out of the dryer. It just feels different and it feels good because we have new leadership.' New look It's not just the overhauled roster, either. Mitchell, one of the few holdovers left from last season, also sees a different version of Clark, one showcased in a photo posted on social media last month. 'From a physical standpoint, her strength and her ability to make plays that people don't think about — that skip pass from here to here,' Mitchell said. 'A person of her caliber, it seems small but it's going to help her go from having 10 assists to 12. And then after that the professional learning, watching film, knowing what you need.' Just the thought of an improved Clark this season could make opponents jittery. Clark led the Fever in minutes (35.4 per game) and steals (1.3), shared team scoring honors with Mitchell (19.2 points), and broke the WNBA's single season mark for assists with 337. Not bad for a rookie trying to fit in and find her way. But the intensity and passion Clark plays with, even in practice, seem to have her more comfortable playing the leading role from the start of this season, too. 'She doesn't waste reps and she literally embodies the value that how you do anything is how you do everything — whether it's a ball-handling drill or a shooting drill or setting screens,' White said. 'She approaches it with such a discipline that she doesn't waste time, and I appreciate that." Big goals Clark, meanwhile, is just focused on winning games. The Fever will play at her alma mater and Notre Dame in the preseason, with the real tests set to begin with Indiana's season opener May 17 at Chicago and her old rival, Angel Reese. And you can bet, Clark will be just as eager to celebrate then as she was in practice. 'Don't get me wrong, I love basketball, like that's one of the most fun things in the world,' she said. 'We had a great year and eventually getting away from that, I came to a point where I was itching to get back in here after like a month. So I'm happy to be back.'
Hamilton Spectator
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Stronger Caitlin Clark gears up for 2nd WNBA season with a revamped and upgraded Fever roster
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark slapped the court with both hands and started gesturing in her side's direction after forcing a 5-second call near the end of Tuesday's practice. It was only Day 2 of training camp, yet this is what Clark has yearned for these past seven months — going back to work with a new coach, a revamped roster and even higher expectations in her second WNBA season. After leading the Fever to their first playoff berth in eight years, winning the league's Rookie of the Year Award, being named Associated Press 2024 Female Athlete of the Year and Time magazine's 2024 Athlete of the Year, Clark returned to Indianapolis a stronger, wiser player, more determined to win the championship that eluded her in college. 'It was an adjustment sure, because I was so used to playing minutes for, well, basically a year of my life. That's all I did,' Clark said. 'So the rest was good. I thought it was going to feel long and it really didn't. We were in here all the time. But that rest aspect, just getting my body where it needed to be and really on things I needed to work on was super important. But I'm ready to compete again.' It was a well-deserved vacation for perhaps the busiest player in women's basketball. She capped her final college season by playing a 39-game schedule while leading Iowa to a second straight national championship game. One week after losing to South Carolina, the Fever drafted her No. 1 overall and 13 days after that, training camp opened. Following a brief preseason, Clark made her regular-season debut May 10. That started a grueling 42-game grind during which the Fever overcame a 1-8 start to finish 20-20. Then they were swept out of the playoffs. The only real stoppage for Clark during that 81-game, 10 1/2-month span was the monthlong Olympic break. Clark's impact Clark turned sellouts at college and WNBA games into the norm as she found her every move scrutinized on social media. Fans complained she was being treated poorly by the league's older players and some even argued the physical play was racially motivated. Her friendships and relationships became all the rage, and nothing seemed to be off limits. But Clark never complained, never bowed to the pressure and used this seven-month break to focus on being herself. She completed one bucket list item — attending the final round of The Masters earlier this month — and had her college jersey retired . She attended a Taylor Swift concert, an NFL game with Swift and, of course, Pacers games. Now, though, she sounds refreshed as she sings the praises of a veteran team full of title dreams and championship resumes from coach Stephanie White to teammates Natasha Howard and 37-year-old DeWanna Bonner. And the early returns seem to show the personalities are a perfect match. 'Everything is just absolutely good,' All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell said. 'It feels fresh. It feels kind of like when you take your clothes out of the dryer. It just feels different and it feels good because we have new leadership.' New look It's not just the overhauled roster, either. Mitchell, one of the few holdovers left from last season, also sees a different version of Clark, one showcased in a photo posted on social media last month. 'From a physical standpoint, her strength and her ability to make plays that people don't think about — that skip pass from here to here,' Mitchell said. 'A person of her caliber, it seems small but it's going to help her go from having 10 assists to 12. And then after that the professional learning, watching film, knowing what you need.' Just the thought of an improved Clark this season could make opponents jittery. Clark led the Fever in minutes (35.4 per game) and steals (1.3), shared team scoring honors with Mitchell (19.2 points), and broke the WNBA's single season mark for assists with 337. Not bad for a rookie trying to fit in and find her way. But the intensity and passion Clark plays with, even in practice, seem to have her more comfortable playing the leading role from the start of this season, too. 'She doesn't waste reps and she literally embodies the value that how you do anything is how you do everything — whether it's a ball-handling drill or a shooting drill or setting screens,' White said. 'She approaches it with such a discipline that she doesn't waste time, and I appreciate that.' Big goals Clark, meanwhile, is just focused on winning games. The Fever will play at her alma mater and Notre Dame in the preseason, with the real tests set to begin with Indiana's season opener May 17 at Chicago and her old rival, Angel Reese. And you can bet, Clark will be just as eager to celebrate then as she was in practice. 'Don't get me wrong, I love basketball, like that's one of the most fun things in the world,' she said. 'We had a great year and eventually getting away from that, I came to a point where I was itching to get back in here after like a month. So I'm happy to be back.' ___ AP WNBA:
