Caitlin Clark and her Indiana Fever teammate Aliyah Boston opened up about their struggles with social media, fans and reporters following their first win of the young WNBA season on Friday in Los Angeles.
“I think for me it’s definitely been a whirlwind the last few months,” the top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft revealed after Friday’s 78-73 win over the LA Sparks. “Honestly, I think I talk to the media more than I can talk to my own family – I’m very serious about that – which is actually a bit sad in a way. “It’s a lot for someone who is 22 years old.”
Clark has struggled as a WNBA rookie for the 1-5 Fever after her record-breaking career at Iowa. In addition to losing her first five professional games, the top WNBA Draft pick has come under fire for allegedly benefiting from ‘white privilege’. ‘, according to View host Sunny Hostin.
After Friday’s victory, Clark admitted that dealing with the media “can be difficult sometimes.”
“Our team is really young,” he said in a clip posted online by Chris Hayre of KCAL News. ‘It’s difficult to navigate this. I love it and wouldn’t change it for the world, but I think just getting off social media has been the healthiest thing.
Aliyah Boston (left) and Caitlin Clark (center) talk after their first win of the WNBA season.
After losing their first five games, the Fever cruised to a 78-73 victory over Cameron Brink and LA.
“This is my job,” he continued. ‘This is what I love to do. I never want to lose the fun of the game. Nights like this remind me why I love playing basketball and why I started playing basketball. You get a win and then you walk off the court and there are so many little kids screaming your name. “I think it’s the little things that remind me every day why I do this and why I love it.”
Meanwhile, Boston said she has turned to the Bible to help her avoid the negativity of social and traditional media.
“There are a lot of armchair coaches and a lot of people who have never stepped on the court who just continue to tell you how to play basketball,” Boston said. ‘Honestly, we’re ruining any bet they made. And personally, I’d rather not know because obviously I tried to get those rebounds, but I didn’t. And then I just tuned 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 criticize the Fever rookie in a post that has since been deleted.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark greets Iowa teammate Ashton Kutcher after shooting a shot.
Aliyah Boston led Indiana with 17 points and six rebounds in 29 minutes of play
After Chicago’s win over the New York Liberty in Brooklyn on Thursday, Reese wrote: “And that’s about getting a WIN in a packed (arena), not just because of one player on our charter flight.” #SKYTOWN.’
Clark is credited with increasing interest in the WNBA after being picked first by Indiana in April’s draft, the same event in which Reese was chosen by Chicago.
Reese’s Sky did not have charter flights at the beginning of the season, while Clark and Indiana did. However, since May 21, all WNBA teams have been using charter flights after years of commercial travel.
Clark and Boston helped Indiana snap its five-game losing streak in front of a record crowd of 19,103 that included celebrities such as Jason Sudeikis, Rosie O’Donnell, Kathy Griffin, DeMar DeRozan and Clark’s 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 contributed 17 each.
The game featured the youth and future of the WNBA, with the No. 1 draft pick, Clark, playing against the No. 2 pick, Cameron Brink, and the No. 4 pick, Rickea Jackson of the Sparks.
“They’re having a big impact on 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.