Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark simply wrote one other web page in her WNBA legacy on Monday night time.
The previous No. 1 decide knocked down a 30-footer to seal her group’s 78-76 highway win over the Washington Mystics.
It was the primary game-winner of her profession, and it could not have come at a extra essential time.
Clark had been facing harsh criticism over her demeanor and complaints, together with being known as a “spoiled brat,” and she or he needed to tackle that scenario earlier than the sport. Notably, her response might have been foretelling.
Caitlin Clark will not apologize for her aggressive nature
“I don’t assume I’d be nearly as good of a participant if I used to be very stoic and straight-faced on a regular basis,” Clark told the media (h/t Christine Brennan). “I believe you at all times need your thoughts to be impartial, however you additionally wish to be excited and passionate and fiery and feisty. And, you recognize, perhaps you will have a second with a ref right here and there, or perhaps you get tremendous excited and get the group overvalued. That’s what’s so enjoyable about aggressive sports activities.”
Clark has been one of many important forces behind the media frenzy surrounding the WNBA, but the league hasn’t essentially finished the most effective job of selling her.
She additionally hasn’t finished herself many favors with the best way she’s carried herself on the courtroom at occasions, although the tape and the numbers communicate for themselves.
The Fever have not been nearly as good as anticipated to start out the season, and a few blame Clark for his or her shortcomings, provided that they made the playoffs with out her final season.
Even so, with averages of 18.7 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 7.9 assists and one steal per sport, it is laborious to imagine they’d be a better team without her on the courtroom.
