Caitlin Clark does more than score in first WNBA win as Indiana Fever tops LA Sparks

LOS ANGELES — In a place where stars are destined to shine, Caitlin Clark had no problem being best supporting actress for the Indiana Fever.

Yes, she definitely stole the show when she hit two ridiculous deep 3-pointers, one of which was the dagger in the 78-73 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday. It’s what the Sparks home-record crowd of 19,103 came to see. But for the majority of the game, she comfortably let everyone else glow in the spotlight, and it was that sound cast that led to the Fever getting their first win in the Clark-era.

"She hit some huge shots, but did everything we needed her to do," Fever coach Christie Sides said of Clark. "She's really focused on really helping us out, getting better on the defensive. I'm really proud of her energy."

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In the early stages of the game, Clark struggled to do much as the Sparks had Layshia Clarendon applying pressure and getting help on double teams. By the end of the first quarter, Clark had a +/- rating of -9. With how much defenses have hounded Clark so far this season, it made sense the game was looking like it be a Sparks win. However, it's how she reacted to the adversity that set the team up for success.

What easily gets lost when looking back at Clark's record-breaking college career is she was arguably the most elite passer in all of Division I. She led the country in assists per game and was the sixth player to ever achieve at least 1,000 career assists. She also was a solid glass-cleaner by leading Iowa in rebounds.

All of those elements were on display against the Sparks. Sure she wasn't hitting shots, but more importantly, she wasn't forcing them. When there was lengthy gaps in between her shot attempts, she was finding tight passing lanes that resulted in an easy bucket and the crowd marveling at the pass. She was cleaning up the boards and getting the offense moving efficiently. Put it all together, and she had multiple game-highs with four steals, eight assists and 10 rebounds to go with her 11 points for her first double-double in the WNBA.

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"I thought I played a really good game," Clark said. "Whether it was rebounding, finding my teammates. I thought I was really active on defense. I didn't let that bother me and that's something I'm really proud of."

Temi Fagbenle came off the bench was someone that instantly found a connection with Clark. Three of six made shots came of Clark assists as she erupted for a career-high 17 points. Fagbenle thrived when her guard found her, and it's something she couldn't help but gush about.

"Caitlin's vision is second to none," Fagbenle said. "I love love love playing with a point guard that can just see. A lot of the time, I know I'm open, but I don't know if she knows I'm open, but then she knows to pass the ball."

​​It was evident Clark has built chemistry with her frontcourt, something that really helped her thrive at Iowa since defenders were having to harp on limiting her around the perimeter, leaving bigs open right under the basket. Seven of her eight assists on Friday were to her forwards and seven were a made basket within four-feet of the rim.

The common thought since Clark entered the W was that if you're able to limit her scoring, you can chalk the game up as a win. But Clark reminded the entire league she doesn't need to be hitting logo 3s or step backs to leave her mark on the game. She said she's started to feel "pretty comfortable" in the professional ranks and her confidence is going up. If that's the case, then fans are still in for more blockbuster performances.

"I love passing the ball just as much as I love shooting it," Clark said. "When you make a great pass to your teammate, it also opens up everything else for people like myself, people like Kelsey (Mitchell) to have some more space on the outside. The more we can do that, the better off we're going to be."

"It's not all about the shots," she added.

‘Nights like tonight remind me why I love playing basketball’

Friday was a much needed victory for a team that entered the day one of two squads in the league without a win (Washington Mystics). On top of that, the Fever have played a grueling schedule that after their Saturday game against the Las Vegas Aces, they will have played seven games in 12 days.

Even for someone as gifted as Clark, it can be tough navigating the transition to the pros when the expectations are so high. She said something that's made her sad recently is the realization she spends more time speaking to the media than her own family, and she stays off social media to avoid dealing with more outside noise.

"It's a lot for somebody that's 22-years-old. It can be tough at times," Clark said. "Our team is really young. It's difficult navigating this. I absolutely love it more than anything in the world, but I think just getting off social media has been the healthiest thing to do.

"Your mental health is very important. It's important for professional athletes, and it's important for student athletes. It's important for every single person in this world to feel like they have somebody to talk to. I think it's been something we've all been trying to navigate and continues to give ourselves grace."

As tough as its been, Friday gave Clark something other than her first WNBA victory. It also reminded her of why she plays the game as she saw so many people in Los Angeles rooting for her.

"I never want to lose the fun of the game, and nights like tonight remind me why I love playing basketball," Clark said. "You get a win and then you walk off the floor, and there's so many kids, young kids just screaming your name and love getting to watch you. I think it's the little things that remind me every single day why I do this and why I love it."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caitlin Clark reminds people she's not just a scorer in first WNBA win