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Caitlin Clark hasn't enjoyed the best of starts to life in the WNBA. That's because her team, the Indiana Fever, succumed to their fifth consecutive defeat with a 85-83 loss to Seattle Storm on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old, who was drafted by the Fever as their first overall pick last month, has struggled to put in the performances that impressed many during her collegiate career. Clark admitted that her first professional game didn't live up to her standards and that she found it tricky to adjust to the pace and physicality of the WNBA.
Nevertheless, the six-foot guard was unable to avoid criticism from fans on social media after another mixed performance against Seattle Storm on Wednesday. Clark produced some of her trademark flair as she put up a near triple-double with 21 points, seven assists, seven rebounds, but it still wasn't enough to get the Fever their first win of the WNBA season.
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Some X users felt that Clark’s early struggles on her WNBA journey bears a striking resemblance to Spurs sensation Victor Wembanyama, who endured a similar pathway before going on to be named the NBA Rookie of Rookie of the Year.
“Everyone thought Wemby was gonna turn things around for the Spurs this season but that's not how things work in the pros. It's gonna take time to get used to the pro level,” one tweeted.
Another fan highlighted the unfair pressure Clark faces:
“Caitlin Clark is supposed to have a Wemby type season where we just watch how she develops but this is the discourse she's subject to. Tragic.”
Another chimed in:
“Caitlin Clark in the Wemby situation free her.”
“The Caitlin Clark hate train is genuinely astonishing. Like Bron got hate since day 1 so did Wemby but this is next level man. I've genuinely never seen this much hate for any rookie athlete in forever,” commented another.
“This is crazy. Poor girl is on the Indiana Fever fighting for her life (basically Wemby if he wound up in Charlotte or Portland) and dealing with ts from the media,” another one added.
How did Caitlin Clark and Victor Wembanyama fare during their debut games?
Both Caitlin Clark and Victor Wembanyama's debut in their professional league was nearly equal in some regards, considering the expectations placed on their shoulders. Interestingly, both the Spurs and the Fever are very young teams in the midst of rebuilding.
Wembanyama made his debut in October against the Dallas Mavericks. With an impressive 23 minutes on the court, the player bagged 15 points, five rebounds and two assists that night. Five fouls were called against him during the game.
Caitlin Clark, meanwhile, graced the WNBA court on May 15. Going up against Alyssa Thomas-led Connecticut Sun with sell-out arena, she managed 20 points and 3 assists. She also set an unwarranted league-record of 10 turnovers, which may have hindered her performance.
Despite her team’s poor start, Caitlin Clark continues to top the WNBA headlines and has established herself as one of the best rookies to grace the game. Whether she belongs in that category and whether fulfills her hype is something WNBA fans will follow closely in the coming years.
