What Caitlin Clark said after season ends: ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow.’
Caitlin Clark’s remarkable, record-breaking rookie season has come to an end. But not without a fight. The first-team All-WNBA selection helped lead a spirited Indiana Fever effort in an eventual, 87-81 loss to Connecticut in Wednesday’s Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Clark played all 40 minutes Wednesday night and led the Fever with 25 points on 10-of-23 shooting. She added nine assists and six rebounds and helped Indiana claw all the way back to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. But the veteran Sun put the Fever away with some timely 3-pointers and physical defense.
Here’s what the Fever star said postgame:
Asked about her plans for the offseason, Clark said, “I was focused on beating the Connecticut Sun. I haven’t thought too far down the line. I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow or what I’m going to do the next day. So, maybe play some golf. That’s what I’m gonna do until it becomes too cold in Indiana. I’ll become a professional golfer.”
WNBA fans raise important playoff question as Caitlin Clark learns the hard way
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever were ousted from the playoffs following a 87-81 loss to the Connecticut Sun in a win-or-go-home Game 2, prompting fans to demand changes from the WNBA
On Wednesday, the Connecticut Sun secured a hard-fought 87-81 win over the Fever at Mohegan Sun Arena, thereby booting Indiana from the postseason. Clark did all she could to try and stave off elimination in the win-or-go-home Game 2 – recording 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds on 10-of-23 shooting from the field – but her dominant performance ultimately wasn’t enough.
Well before the Fever’s unfortunate fate was even decided, droves of critics slammed the WNBA’s postseason arrangement, which features best-of-three series in the First Round and best-of-five in the Semi-Finals and Finals. Television personality Skip Bayless, for one, is hardly a fan of the set-up, writing on social media: “With Caitlin’s drawing power, these playoff series should at least be expanded to best-of-5.”
According to the News & Observer, Clark and the Fever managed to shatter the single-season record for average attendance (17,036) and total attendance (340,715) at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Atlanta Dream (431%), Washington Mystics (311%) and Minnesota Lynx (131%) each saw their fan presence additionally jump by over 100% when facing Indiana at home.
Several other women’s basketball supporters expressed a similar sentiment, arguing that both teams in playoff matchups should have an opportunity to play in front of their home crowds. “Hate how the WNBA has a ‘best of 3’ series and the higher seed hosts the first two games. Make the series at least best of 5 and allow each team to host a game (at minimum),” one X user wrote, with another adding: “Crazy that a team can make the playoffs and never have a home game they need to switch to 1-1-1 or a 5 game series ASAP.”
Caitlin Clark finished Game 2 with 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds
A third revealed that they were planning on attending a Fever game in Round 1, but changed their plans once they learned that they weren’t guaranteed to play in Indiana. “It really should be a 5 game series. 2 home games guaranteed for each team… it’s not right or fair,” the person said.
“I am willing to spend significant money if they get a home game!! I was planning on going until I found that they are not guaranteed a game! Come on WNBA!! Clark and other teams who make the playoffs DESERVE at least one home game for all their hard work throughout the regular season!”
The Round 1 departure from the playoffs is one of the few blemishes in what was otherwise a historic rookie season in the WNBA for Clark. The 22-year-old placed fourth in the league’s MVP rankings with 130 points, nabbing six third place votes, 26 fourth place votes and 22 fifth place votes.
