The good and bad of Caitlin Clark through five games with the Fever

Through five games this season, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark has shown why she was the first overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, but she has also experienced some growing pains. Here is the good and bad we have seen from Clark thus far.

Good: Increased attendance/viewership for the WNBA

In four seasons at Iowa, Clark became a massive box-office draw. She's having a similar effect in the WNBA. 

On Tuesday, Sports Media Watch's Jon Lewis reported that four WNBA games have already surpassed the million-viewer mark after the league nearly went 16 years without hitting this figure. Clark, of course, played in three of these games. 

On Wednesday, a crowd of 18,343 – the largest for a WNBA regular-season game since 2018 – watched Clark and company in a road game against the Seattle Storm. Expect her to help the league sell additional tickets in another road game vs. the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday.

Bad: The Fever have looked like one of the worst teams in the league

The Fever hoped they would instantly improve after drafting Clark, a three-time first-team All-American. However, that has yet to happen. Indiana (0-5) is last in the Eastern Conference and has lost three games by 10 points or more. 

"You're never happy to lose," Clark said Wednesday following an 85-83 loss to the Storm. "It's not fun, but at the same time, there's just a lot of things to build on. I'm just trying to be as positive as possible, continue to learn, continue to stack days. I know that first win will be right around the corner."

Clark's optimism is commendable, but she can only do so much with a shaky supporting cast. The Fever rank second to last in the league in points scored (76.8) and last in points allowed (91.6). Don't be stunned if Indiana misses the playoffs.

Good: Her scoring ability is on full display

At Iowa, Clark scored 3,951 points, the most in men's and women's Division I history. Unsurprisingly, her scoring ability has translated to the WNBA. 

This season, Clark has averaged the 15th-most points (17.8) in the league on 40.3% shooting. According to ESPN, she is the first player in league history to score 20 points or more in her first three road games.  

Bad: She's battling the turnover bug

Clark is averaging a league-high 5.8 turnovers. In the Fever's season-opener against the Connecticut Sun, she had 10 turnovers, the most in a WNBA debut. 

Clark is not entirely to blame. The Fever struggled with turnovers last season, too, finishing with the third-most (14.1) in the league. Still, the former Iowa superstar must take better care of the ball. Reducing turnovers should create more scoring opportunities.

Good: She has showcased elite passing 

Before the WNBA Draft, a general manager told The Athletic's Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman that"[Clark's] ability to pass and spread the love" would be more impactful than her scoring. That assessment has proved to be spot-on in the early going.

Clark, 22, has already established herself as one of the best facilitators in the WNBA, ranking ninth in assists (5.8). Clark's outstanding passing may improve the Fever's ball movement and chemistry. More importantly, it should help her avoid double-teams.

Bad: She's struggling from beyond the arc

Entering the league, Clark was considered a sharpshooter, but she's struggled to find her groove from three-point land. She's only shooting 32.6% from three, a notable drop-off from her time in Iowa City. During four seasons with the Hawkeyes, she made 37.7% percent of her three-point attempts.

Clark hinted her shooting struggles tie to her playing off the ball too much. Following the loss to Storm, she pointed out how she nailed multiple threes after creating shots off of the dribble.  

Fever head coach Christie Sides should take note of Clark's comment and see whether letting her bring the ball up more often snaps her three-point shooting slump.