"I was just leaning on him" - Caitlin Clark reveals tapping into Tyrese Haliburton's advice to tackle intense full-court defense

Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton have become close friends over the past few years. Clark often watches Indiana Pacers games with her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, who previously worked as an assistant coach for the team. Haliburton and his girlfriend, Jade Jones, frequently watch Indiana Fever home games.

Following an 81-76 win against the Atlanta Dream on May 22, Clark, who struggled in the game, went to Haliburton for advice.

"So I was just leaning on him, 'How can I get open? How do you manage maybe not having to roll every possession in transition? Or having a little give-and-take with yourself?' Clark told ESPN insider Ramona Shelburne.

"That's something I'm trying to navigate. ... He's been through it. That's just how we bounce ideas off of each other."

In the win in Atlanta, the Dream dared the Fever to beat them by constantly pressuring Caitlin Clark to give up the ball. Natasha Howard picked up the scoring slack, scattering a team-high 26 points, including five in the fourth quarter. Kelsey Mitchell also came through, contributing 17 points.

Clark finished the game with 11 points behind 4-for-11 shooting. She went 0-for-5 from deep, the first time she failed to make a 3-pointer since she was in her second year in college.

The conversation with Tyrese Haliburton might have worked, as Caitlin Clark bounced back in the next game. She had 18 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in a 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on May 24.

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Caitlin Clark claims she and Tyrese Haliburton hope to end their basketball careers in Indiana

Tyrese Haliburton has led the Indiana Fever to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years. Caitlin Clark has had a front-row seat to the incredible run and expressed excitement for the fans and the city in the interview with Ramona Shelburne.

Clark opened up to Shelburne about where she could be in her basketball career if given the choice.

"Ty and I would both tell you this is where we both hope to stay the rest of our careers. People are like, 'It's a small market.' But no, that's what makes it fun. These people, this is what means the world to them.”

The lure to play in big-market cities like Dallas, New York and Los Angeles could be irresistible for some basketball players. Clark and Haliburton aren’t looking to follow the trend, preferring to lead Indiana to basketball glory.