Caitlin Clark opens up about her struggles with media as Fever rookie admits she talks to reporters more than her family: ‘It’s really kind of sad’
Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever teammate Aliyah Boston opened up about their struggles with social media and reporters after their first win of the young WNBA season on Friday in Los Angeles.
“I think for myself, it’s definitely been a whirlwind the last few months,” Clark, the first pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, revealed after Friday’s 78-73 win over the LA Sparks. ‘To be honest, I think I talk to the media more than I talk to my own family – I’m dead serious – and that’s really sad in a way. It’s a lot for someone of 22 years old.’
Clark competed for the 1-5 Fever as a WNBA rookie after her record-breaking career at Iowa. In addition to losing her first five professional matches, she was also criticized for taking advantage of “white privilege,” according to View host Sunny Hostin.
After Friday’s win, Clark admitted that dealing with the media “can be difficult at times.”
“Our team is very young,” she said in a video posted online by Chris Hayre of KCAL News. “It’s hard to navigate this. I absolutely love it and wouldn’t change it for the world, but I think it’s just the healthiest thing to do to get off social media.
Aliyah Boston (left) and Caitlin Clark (center) speak after their first win of the WNBA season
Clark wrestled for the 1-5 Fever as a WNBA rookie following her record-breaking NCAA career
“This is my job,” she continued. ‘This is what I like to do most. I never want to lose the fun of the game. Evenings like tonight are a reminder of why I love playing basketball and why I started playing basketball. You win, and then you walk off the floor and there are so many young kids just screaming your name. I think it’s the little things that remind me every day why I do this and why I love it.”
Boston, meanwhile, said she has turned to the Bible to help her avoid the negativity of both traditional and social media.
“There’s a lot of couch coaches and there’s a lot of people who have never stepped on the floor and they just keep telling you how you should play basketball,” Boston said. “Frankly, we’re ruining the bets they’re making. And personally, I’d rather not know [about the wagers] because obviously I tried to get those rebounds, but I just didn’t. And so I logged out. It’s been better for me.’
The discussion followed a curious comment from Clark’s former college rival, Chicago Sky power forward Angel Reese, who appeared to comment on the Fever rookie in a since-deleted post.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark greets fellow Iowan Ashton Kutcher after firing a shot
Aliyah Boston led the way for Indiana with 17 points and six rebounds in 29 minutes of play
After losing their first five games, the Fever earned a 78-73 victory over Cameron Brink and L.A.
Caitlin Clark signs autographs after Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks in LA
After Chicago’s victory over the New York Liberty in Brooklyn on Thursday, Reese wrote: “And that’s getting a win in a packed [arena] not just because of one player on our charter flight. #SKYTOWN.”
Clark has been credited with a surge of interest in the WNBA after being picked first by Indiana in April’s Draft – the same event where Reese was picked by Chicago.
Reese’s Sky had no charter flights at the beginning of the season, while Clark and Indiana did. However, as of May 21, all WNBA teams have been using charter flights after years of commercial travel.
Clark and Boston helped Indiana snap their five-game losing streak in front of a record crowd of 19,103 people, including celebrities like Jason Sudeikis, Rosie O’Donnell, Kathy Griffin, DeMar DeRozan and Clark’s fellow Iowa native Ashton Kutcher. Clark had 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (1-5) with 18 points. Boston and Temi Fagbenle each scored 17.
The game featured the youth and future of the WNBA, with No. 1 draft pick Clark playing against No. 2 pick Cameron Brink and fourth selection Rickea Jackson of the Sparks.
“They are making a huge impact in our league,” Fever coach Christie Sides said before the game.
Brink had 15 points and nine rebounds and Jackson added 16 points off the bench for the Sparks (1-3). Dearica Hamby had 18 points and 12 rebounds.