3 THINGS NOTICED FROM CAITLIN CLARK'S FIRST INDIANA FEVER SHOOTAROUND

Caitlin Clark is back in the gym already. In a video posted to social media by the Indiana Fever, Clark, along with Grace Berger and Maya Caldwell, are spotted practicing and working out with a number of the Fever's coaching staff.

Clark displays the skills that made her such a force during her time in college with Iowa. The 22-year-old was spotted nailing her signature 3-pointers, showing off her quick release before any defender could even get their hand up to contest her shot.

Her passing chops were on full display as well, dishing the rock easily to Berger and Caldwell showing how the Fever intend to use her as one of the primary ball handlers in the 2024 WNBA season. During her time at Iowa, Clark averaged 8.2 assists, showing her vision and penchant for getting her teammates involved, despite her scoring acumen.

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Lastly and most impressively, Clark was seen absorbing contact from the Fever's coaching staff to finish at the rim. Typically, players - regardless if they were drafted in the WNBA or NBA - have a hard time adjusting to their respective league's physicality.

It appears as if the Fever are doing their due diligence in helping Clark adjust to the WNBA's physicality before the start of the season, in hopes that the learning curve is not as steep as initially expected. By having Clark play against similar physical aggression as what she will face in the league, Indiana is preparing her for any rough moments she will face going up against the best basketball players in the world.

That said, this is not the first time Clark has been in the Fever's practice facility working on her game. On Wednesday, Indiana posted a workout video of both Clark and Aliyah Boston - the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft - working on their games, particularly in the pick and roll.

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Though a handful of clips finished with Clark connecting with Boston at the rim for an easy layup, the former Hawkeyes star was also spotted draining a stepback 3-pointer with ease, showing the different options the Fever have from that one action. Though it is not uncommon to see highly touted draft picks like Clark put in work during the offseason, the pressure on her is raised to another level because of her college exploits.

USMNT soccer legend Tim Howard explained what challenges Clark will face as the presumptive face of the WNBA. "Women's college basketball has really been thrust to the forefront over the last couple of years - there have been controversies and trash-talking," Howard wrote in his Daily Mail column.

"And all that's good for the game. But Caitlin has continued to play at an elite level. When she’s been criticized in the tough times, she's risen above it.

"That’s hard to do and that speaks volumes to who she is as a woman and as an athlete. She has to realize that not everybody wants her to do well. Unfortunately, very few athletes make it through fame, fortune, and the spotlight. It's a tough mix."

As the Fever look to Clark, Boston and the rest of their draft picks to make an impact this season, getting the new additions prepared on what to expect playing against the best players in the world is the first step in realizing their potential. That said, it is almost expected that Clark will not perform as she had in college, especially since the gap between college and the WNBA is astronomical.

Still, the Fever are preparing Clark for the first game season against the Connecticut Sun on May 14.

2024-04-26T00:03:32Z dg43tfdfdgfd