Key Takeaways:
– WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark endured an eardrum rupture during an Indiana Fever vs. New York Liberty game.
– Screens from Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones led to Clark’s injury.
– Despite her injury, Clark made a speedy recovery and showed progress in the WNBA, maintaining an average of 19 points.
– Despite the challenges, Clark appears to be maturing into her role in the league.
Indiana Fever luminous rookie Caitlin Clark faced a gruelling ‘Welcome to the W’ moment – a ruptured eardrum during a challenging game on June 2 in Brooklyn, New York, against the Liberty. Friday before the Indiana Fever’s game against the Atlanta Dream, Clark shared her experience.
Clark’s Rough Encounter
“That’s kind of what injured me, those great screens. I could not hear them coming, so it’s my mistake,” said Clark. Despite this, Clark didn’t skip any games due to her injury. From the locker room in the fourth quarter of the challenging match that saw the Liberty clinch a landslide victory, Clark came back for the next Fever match against Washington.
Incredibly, Clark performed exceptionally in the Fever’s game against Washington despite her injury. She racked up 30 points, added 8 rebounds, achieved 6 assists, and claimed 4 steals in the close 85-83 triumph over the Mystics.
Screen Encounters with Liberty
The Fever and the Liberty have clashed thrice this year, with two of these encounters happening at the Barclays Center. In the two matches at the home turf of the Liberty, Clark encountered hard screens. These incidents even made their way onto social media.
In both, the reigning MVP Breanna Stewart and 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones set up rock-hard screens. One of these screens is thought to have ruptured Clark’s eardrum. However, her teammates cannot be blamed for the mistake as the game attracted a full house of spectators, making communication difficult.
Road to WNBA Improvement
Maintaining a shaky start in the season, the Fever had an initial 1-8 record but has since seen a 6-2 recovery. Rookie player Clark has braved ups and downs and seems to be getting a grip on the shifts in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
In her last three games, Clark has impressively averaged 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. She’s also become more efficient with shooting, currently showcasing a 43% three-point shot and a 54% field break, a huge improvement from her initial 31% and 36%, respectively.
All is not completely smooth, though. Clark is projected to shatter the WNBA’s single-season turnover record and had seven turnovers against the Dream. Bear in mind, Clark has been on a roll from the end of a full college season at Iowa Hawkeyes to the beginning of her WNBA career.
Though the transition has been physically challenging, especially with the Fever frontloading games early in the season and Clark often playing over 30 minutes each game, she has maintained her health and remained competitive. Despite the ear injury, her spirit remains unbroken, and her game continues to improve as the season progresses. NBA rookie Caitlin Clark is truly getting her ‘Welcome to the W’ moment.