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Caitlin Clark Shares What Her “Welcome To the WNBA” Moment Was
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark has had her fair share of ups and downs this season. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft has a target on her back as the next big star entering the league.

Going from college to the professional ranks is a major adjustment. Caitlin Clark has spoken about some of the changes, as the game is much faster and more physical than it was when she played collegiately at Iowa.

She has had a few run-ins thus far with players wanting to show she has to still earn her stripes as a professional. Some hard fouls have been committed against her that have been outside of what many would consider a basketball play.

But, there have also been plenty of legal basketball plays. Rookies in all professional sports have those “welcome to the league” moments. Caitlin Clark has had her fair share of them and recently spoke about which was the most painful.

In her opinion, it came against the New York Liberty on June 2nd. It was her 11th game as a professional with the Indiana Fever and one she will never forget. She recently revealed that a hard screen set on her resulted in an injury.

“Honestly, I’ve been popped on a couple screens,” she admitted. “I actually ruptured my eardrum when we were in New York on a tough screen. So, if I had to pick one right now it’d probably be that. But like great screens, I just didn’t hear them so it’s kind of my own fault.

Despite the injury, Caitlin Clark did not miss any games. But, that level of physicality is something that she is still adjusting to. The long-range 3-pointers are coming as easily with the level of competition rising compared to what she faced collegiately.

That wasn’t the first hard screen that Caitlin Clark was on the receiving end against the Liberty. In only her second career game, former MVP Breanna Stewart leveled the Indiana Fever star as she ran right into the pick.

Caitlin Clark is a tough player, as he bounced right back up after dropping to the ground. She is being tested by veterans around the league and to this point is responding well. Despite being the center of unwanted attention, she handles herself like a seasoned vet when talking in press conferences, showing everything you want from a future leader of the team.

This article first appeared on Viral Sports News and was syndicated with permission.

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