Indiana Fever forward Natasha Howard delivered a strong message to teammate and Iowa Hawkeyes legend Caitlin Clark.
"Everybody knows she can shoot the heck out the ball. And she can pass," Howard said. "But just letting her know you don't have to do everything like you had to do in Iowa. You have great teammates and phenomenal players around you that can take that weight off your shoulders."
While at Iowa, Clark did everything like Howard described. Across four seasons, she averaged 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. She shot 46.2 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three.
Clark has appeared in nine games for the Fever this season, averaging 18.2 points, five rebounds, 8.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. She is shooting 39 percent from the field and 29.5 percent from behind the arc.
"You don't have to do everything. We expect you to knock down those clutch shots, that's what we expect you to do. But overall, you don't have to do everything. Give us some of your pressure, too."
The Fever sit at 9-9 through 18 games despite Clark missing half of the games this season. When she returns, trusting her teammates to take pressure off of her could be beneficial for Indiana.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!