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Caitlin Clark excelled in her rookie season in the WNBA. The former Iowa Hawkeye earned First Team All-WNBA honors and won the Rookie of the Year award in a landslide. However, an underwhelming playoff run had Clark and the Indiana Fever back at the drawing board this winter. This year, though, WNBA legend Sue Bird has high expectations for Clark and her team.
Bird knows something about success in the WNBA. The Hall of Fame guard won four championships and found her way onto eight different All-WNBA teams during her 21 year career with the Seattle Storm. Since retiring in 2022, Bird has remained active in the basketball world, shifting into a media role. She is still connected with players all over the league, including Caitlin Clark.
The superstar guard vaulted herself into national fame during her final year of college and her rookie season as a professional. This season will be no different. 41 of the Fever's 44 games will air on national television, putting Caitlin Clark and her teammates at the center of attention throughout the season. Millions of viewers are expected to watch their season opener against the Chicago Sky on Saturday.
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On Friday's episode of Casuals: The Podcast, Bird was asked how what Clark's potential is heading into her sophomore season. She considered the question and then offered up a quote from Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.
"The ceiling is the roof," Bird said about Clark's talent. "She knows the league now, and so that's dangerous."
Caitlin Clark spent a lot of time in the gym this offseason, adding strength to her frame that will allow her to take contact better while she is playing. Defenses hounded her all season long last year, but now she has the ability to deal with those double teams a bit easier.
What did the Indiana Fever do to help Caitlin Clark?
As much work as Caitlin Clark put into her body this offseason, the biggest difference for her between her rookie season and now is her teammates. Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull remain from last year's starting lineup, but the team was busy in free agency, adding veterans like DeWanna Bonner, Brianna Turner and Natasha Howard.
Clark struggled in the first round of last year's postseason because of how the Connecticut Sun handled her defensively. Now, she has more teammates capable of putting the ball on the floor and attacking the open space that she generates each possession. That, combined with a new head coach in Stephanie White, gives the Fever a whole new look in 2025.
Caitlin Clark and her team will be tested right out of the gate in a rivalry game that is picking up steam in the WNBA. Indiana and Chicago clashed multiple times last year and the games were full of heated moments featuring Clark and Angel Reese. This year, the superstar point guard has new teammates to back her up as they try to take one step closer to a title.
