Caitlin Clark has been stealing headlines despite only playing in 13 games this season due to multiple injuries.
Even though she has only played one year in the league and is in her second, the former Iowa Hawkeye has established herself as one of the league’s biggest stars. For this reason, her coach compared her to other great figures and criticized those who use her name for “clickbait.”
Stephanie White’s stance
After July 15, CC’s absence from the court became increasingly noticeable. A groin injury and then a sprained left ankle forced the two-time All-Star Game player to remain on the bench and miss the rest of the season.
She closed out her second year averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals and was unable to even play in the playoff games, where the Fever fell in Game 5 of the Semifinals to the eventual champions, the Las Vegas Aces.
However, this was no reason for Clark to stop being the center of attention. Her name carries a legacy, and it is precisely this that makes a simple interaction newsworthy.
Her coach, Stephanie White, spoke about this in her most recent interview with IndyStar in a new episode of the Fever Insider podcast, which will premiere on Wednesday. In addition, the 48-year-old coach compared Clark to the multi-award-winning artist and fiancée of Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift:
“It literally is like Taylor Swift 2.0, and because of that, her name gets thrown into a lot of conversations that have absolutely nothing to do with her, or her interests, and or our team or sport, or whatever,” White said. “And she is a 23-year-old kid who loves to play this game, who loves her teammates, who loves to compete, you know, at a high level.”
The truth is that Clark generates interest, and since her arrival in the league, her presence has led to record ratings, sponsorships, sales, and attendance. Stephanie is aware of this and did not hesitate to compare her star to other sports figures and celebrities:
“Her name grabs attention. Her name is clickbait,” she continued. “Her name is utilized in a way that very few people and athletes are. It’s in the same sphere as LeBron [James], as Serena Williams, as Tiger Woods, as Taylor Swift.”
However, the coach also said that Clark knows how to handle the exposure and impact of her name: “She handles it in a way that I’m not sure most 23-year-olds would. I’m really proud of her,” White said.
Meanwhile, Caitlin has shown progress in her recovery and is preparing to face her third season, hoping that injuries will not derail her path again.
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