As Caitlin Clark’s months of golf preparation come to a beautiful end, once again, the same question of the ROTY participating in the inaugural season of the Unrivaled lingers. The generational player was being offered a Lionel Messi-like contract as per reports. But there was no clear answer from the Indiana Fever star. However, as per her latest updates, Clark expounded on her remaining off-season plans. But wait! Was that a hint at her dismissing Unrivaled?
On Wednesday during a chat with Golf Channel, the Fever number 22 was asked how it felt to finally take off the jersey and reset in the off-season. Clark revealed that though it felt great, the Iowa-alum has a host of off-season plans.
“It’s nice. But at the same time, I’m still so busy. I gotta get things done that I haven’t been able to do during basketball season. So I don’t think I have that much of free time. But I am busy, I have been doing stuff. I like to keep myself in a routine of working out. So it’s been lot of fun, I have enjoyed it,” Clark stated.
“It’s nice. But at the same time, I’m still so busy. I gotta get things done that I haven’t been able to do during basketball season. So I don’t think I have that much of free time. But I am busy, I have been doing stuff. I like to keep myself in a routine of working out. So it’s been lot of fun, I have enjoyed it,” Clark stated.
Notably, this was Clark’s first long break in months. When she moved out of the NCAA, the Iowa Hawkeyes had made it to the end of the tournament, playing the Championship Finale. And then in April, she was busy with the WNBA 2024 draft getting into the Indiana Fever as the number one pick. Olympics was the first short break she had in months and she couldn’t wait to stay away from basketball for a little while — a sentiment she carried as her team was eliminated in the playoffs. But there was some anticipation that she would make it to the Unrivaled.
The Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier’s league even had, according to reports, offered Clark $ 1 million. Apart from that, they were giving her equity, bonuses, and a revenue share from the media rights. Plus, Stewie and Phee’s brainchild recently signed her friends Kate Martin and Lexie Hull along with expanding the player cap from 30 to 36. All this further gave rise to speculations. However, she looks to be focusing on the appointment of a new head coach, and adjusting for the year ahead.
Caitlin Clark affirms faith in Indiana and Stephanie White’s dreams
When the Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides was fired, the President for Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf had clearly stated that this would contribute to “maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana.”
Then, after Stephanie White was hired, she held a press conference in early November and showed trust in Krauskopf’s aims, expressing “The future is so bright and our goal to hang another banner in @GainbridgeFH.” Now at the recent Pro-Am appearance, Clark offered her stance of acting on Indiana’s plans.
“Obviously, our goal of reaching the playoffs last year we accomplished. Now, we wanna be a Championship contender. We’re putting in the pieces, hopefully we will be able to do that. Hopefully, add some free agents and I think you can see the excitement in the organization, in the city, our fans… So I can’t wait to go back out there. Wish we had a game tomorrow honestly,” Clark reaffirmed her faith in the former Connecticut Sun coach, sending out positive signs for her next season.
The team indeed has a task ahead of building a foundation for the team and keeping their star veteran, Kelsey Mitchell on the roster. Krauskopf and White have been clear in their intentions of the same, expressing concerns around inexperienced team. But among who’s left, Clark is as enthusiastic as she can get. So Unrivaled still seems to be in the backseat for now.
