Caitlin Clark is taking the ‘noise’ in the ‘best way she can’, says 2-time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson
Caitlin Clark's name has been dragged into a lot of narratives and discussions throughout this season.
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Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark is taking the 'noise' in the 'best way she can', says A'ja Wilson
The WNBA All-Star weekend was the first time when Caitlin Clark got to interact with her peers without the pressure of competition on her head. That pressure has constantly been on her ever since she made headlines for her record-breaking achievements. Be it culture wars, or rookie of the year debates, her name has been in the forefront of it all.
All that said, superstar A’ja Wilson thinks the Indiana Fever rookie has handled it well. The 2-time MVP was taking questions after Team USA practice during the WNBA All-Star Weekend. She was asked about how Clark has coped with the pressure to be the best ever since coming into the league. Wilson only had words of praise to state.
I know it's not easy with a lot of noise going around her and her team. She's taking it as the best way she can. And I know she gets tired of it. But she is who she is. Every No. 1 draft pick has such expectations. You are probably never going to live up to everyone's expectations, and I think she's understanding that. Just going out and being her. Hype no hype, I think she's just being who she is.A’ja Wilson via WNBA All-Star Weekend media interview
A’ja Wilson suggests she was impressed with how Caitlin Clark has handled everything so far. The Las Vegas Aces superstar was also in the middle of all the controversies when it was deemed as if she, along with other established veterans, did not appreciate all the attention a rookie received. She and her peers did come under a lot of criticism for that stance.
However, Wilson knows that it is all just not true. Instead, it was certain sections of fans and media who were trying to force the narrative. Nevertheless, she is impressed with how the rookie has quietened that noise while also developing immensely as a basketball player.
Caitlin Clark has improved enough to earn the respect of peers
Before Caitlin Clark came into the WNBA, legends had warned her that the current players would not take make it easy for her. It suggested that she would have to put in the work to develop her game. In the first few games of her young career, it was all too evident that she was struggling. Not as much as originally thought, but even then, it was nowhere close to what she was producing in college.
New teammates meant she had to build chemistry. She had to learn an entirely new playbook after four years. Adding to all that, she had to deal with the league’s physicality. Going up against grown up women is an entirely different challenge. However, now that 25 games are in, the situation has improved. Caitlin Clark has developed to be the best passing and scoring combo player in the WNBA.
Her speed of development has helped her garner enough votes from peers as well as the media to make her first All-Star. The way those peers have been interacting with her lately, along with how A’ja Wilson sees her, shows that they now respect her for the basketball player that she is.
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Joseph Varghese
(2163 Articles Published)