INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After a three-week break from WNBA action due to the FIBA World Cup games in Germany, Fever guard Caitlin Clark is back with the team after winning the gold medal alongside Aliyah Boston and Stephanie White with Team USA.
After wrapping up the six-game slate capped off by Team USA’s 97-79 win over France in the gold medal game, Clark reflected on what she gained after spending the last few weeks with some of the best players in today’s game.
“I think just being around people that are winners,” Clark said. “You learn the things that make them tick and the way they prepare for games. I think for myself it was really fun being around Stewie [Breanna Stewart]. Somebody that’s won at every single level she’s ever played at and won Olympic Golds and World Cup titles. I think her leadership and calming presence when you get in the moments that are really difficult.”
With just four regular season games left on the schedule and the playoffs approaching in under two weeks, Clark described how her FIBA World Cup experience prepared her for what’s to come.
“The style and the physicality is a little bit different but I think at the same time, you’re trying to win,” Clark said. “It’s a 40-minute basketball game. That’s all the same. You only have one opportunity to do that. Things are going to go wrong. It’s how you adjust. How do you change things on the fly? For example, in the France game, we were down eleven, and then we were able to come back. I think it just shows no game is ever over. There’s going to be moments that are really good and moments that are really bad. How do you make up for those? How do you change those moments when things aren’t great?”
After representing Team USA in Europe, Clark described the experience as a “pinch me” moment, and something 16-year-old Clark would be forever grateful for.
“It meant a lot,” Clark said. “I’ve worn the USA jersey at the junior national team level, but getting to do it at the senior national team level. I remember those conversations when we were young, when we were 15 years old, playing my first time at U-16 USA Basketball and they talk about how only a couple of us will make our senior national team debut and there’s 120 kids standing in the room trying out to make the U-16 team. Now, to be one of those, it’s a pinch-me moment. It’s super cool and getting to be around people who have already won gold medals.”
After returning to the practice court this week, Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever hit the road to take on the Toronto Tempo on Friday night, September 18th.