Fever's Caitlin Clark enters 2nd WNBA season more confident - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was the WNBA's rookie of the year and named to the all-league first team in 2024. But the launch of her pro career was — as expected — a challenge, with many observers scrutinizing every move of the No. 1 pick, whose Fever began the season 1-8 but recovered to finish 20-20 and make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Those first few weeks were hard to get through, but Clark did it.

This season, as she and the Fever open at home against the Chicago Sky on Saturday (3 p.m. ET, ABC), Clark understandably feels much more comfortable.

«Honestly, I don't even really remember last year's [opener],» a smiling Clark said about the Fever's 92-71 loss at Connecticut, in which she had 20 points and 10 turnovers. «Maybe that's a good thing. I think [this year] it's just going out there and having fun and being confident. I've been in this league for a year now. I know I belong. I know I can perform, and I can make my teammates better every single night. And that's my job.

»Not everything's going to be perfect. Give yourself grace. There's going to be really good moments. There's going to be moments where you struggle. So just trying to stay as neutral as I can and stay positive. But… I've been in these moments before, and I'm ready for them."

Clark led the WNBA in assists (8.4 per game) and 3-pointers (122) last season while averaging 19.2 points and 5.7 rebounds. The Fever were swept by the Sun in the first round, but just getting back to the postseason was a major step for the franchise.

There is a lot for Clark, 2023 No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston and the Fever — under new coach Stephanie White, in her second stint in Indiana — to build on for 2025.

Clark said that upon