It wasn’t a flashy play or a buzzer-beater that had fans rewinding the game last week. It was a courtside conversation-intense, focused, and oddly captivating. Caitlin Clark, now in her second WNBA season and still one of the league’s most-watched players, was deep in a tense moment. And next to her? A guy who clearly wasn’t on the coaching staff, but definitely wasn’t just passing through.
The clip exploded online. Who was he? Why was he speaking to Clark like it was Game 7? Was this normal? The answer: yes-for the Fever. That man is Ben Newman, and if you haven’t heard of him, you’re not alone. But inside the Indiana locker room, he’s been a critical part of the team’s mental reset game plan all season.
Newman isn’t a tactical coach. He’s the Fever’s Mental Performance Coach, and he’s been with the organization for ten years. His job? Help players manage pressure, find focus, and stay mentally steady through the chaos of pro basketball. And with Clark facing constant scrutiny and expectation, his role has never been more visible.
A Courtside Moment That Went Viral-But Was Years in the Making
That now-famous moment wasn’t staged. Newman has built a two-decade career working with athletes in the NFL, NCAA, UFC, and PGA. He’s coached championship-winning programs at Alabama and Kansas State and advised Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft. When the pressure rises, he’s the guy teams call to keep their heads clear.
What’s different now is that his role has stepped into the public eye. His courtside presence withClark wasn’t just a one-off-it’s part of a culture shift happening across pro sports. Mental health and performance are no longer separate conversations. And Newman’s voice, usually behind closed doors, is now helping to guide one of the sport’s brightest stars.
Head coach Stephanie White trusts him enough to give him that access. And Clark seems to thrive with it. As she told The Athletic, “It’s a lot some days. Having someone like Ben to help center me-that’s been huge.”
Newman doesn’t just deliver motivational speeches. He customizes strategies for each player-breathing techniques, grounding cues, mental resets mid-game. “Sometimes it’s just a reminder,” he said on The Burn Podcast. “To stay present. To lock in. To trust yourself.”
And in a league where one run can swing a game, that kind of mental clarity is gold.
In a season still filled with pressure, noise, and expectations, Caitlin Clark continues to adjust and evolve. And while the cameras follow her every move, the presence of a mindset coach like Newman signals something deeper: that focus isn’t found-it’s trained.
Ben Newman might not show up in the box score. But for Clark and the Fever, his influence is showing up where it matters most-between the ears.
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