“Aliyah Boston was your X factor”: A’ja Wilson’s friend slams Fever’s “awful” Caitlin Clark strategy

A’ja Wilson’s friend, Michael McManus, has slammed the Indiana Fever for allegedly relying too much on Caitlin Clark. McManus believes that the Fever can’t function when Clark isn’t at her best, citing their loss against the Golden State Valkyries as an example.

Wilson’s friend went as far as to claim that the Fever will sacrifice wins to cater to Clark. He ripped into the team, saying that their strategy has been “awful”.

“Indiana has no idea how to play when CC isn’t perfect, Aliyah (Boston) was your X factor and mismatch...And you’re letting GSV have their way because you won’t play thru her nah more,” McManus wrote on X.

The Fever lost Thursday’s game to the Golden State Valkyries 88-77. Aliyah Boston led the charge for Indiana, finishing with 17 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks on 7-for-11 shooting. Caitlin Clark had a rare off night, recording 11 points, nine assists and seven rebounds on 3-for-14 shooting.

McManus' outrage probably stems from the fact that Clark played four more minutes that Boston in the game despite having an off night.

The Valkyries relied on Kayla Thornton for the win, who finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Tiffany Hayes was also key off the bench, tallying 14 points, five assists and three rebounds.

If the Fever had fed Boston more shots in the paint, the outcome of this game might’ve been different. The team will return to the court to take on the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday.

The Fever’s loss against Golden State marks Caitlin Clark’s second game with 0 3-pointers made

Caitlin Clark had a rough night from the field against the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday. She shot 3-for-14, going 0-for-7 from the 3-point range. This marked the second time in her career that she failed to hit a single shot from beyond the arc.

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Clark is known for her range. She makes 3.1 3-pointers per game on 8.9 attempts on an average. When her shot isn’t falling, it usually spells trouble for the Fever, but Clark finds other ways to produce. She is also one of the best playmakers in the league and is putting up 8.7 assists per game in 2025.

However, her assist-to-turnover ratio leaves much to be desired, as Clark has turned the ball over 5.3 times per game this season. Due to the hype surrounding her, it can be easy to forget that the Iowa alum is still a sophomore with a long way to go.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Satagni Sikder