Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, the highest choose of the WNBA Draft after a record-shattering school profession, mentioned she was happy Sunday after her first WNBA coaching camp follow session.
“It was a great first day,” Clark mentioned on Sunday. “It was laborious. However that is what you count on from these practices. Simply enjoyable to get on the market with all the women.”
The 22-year-old American phenomenon, who set a US school scoring document for males or ladies, is a 3-point sharpshooter who obtained international acclaim as she led the College of Iowa into the previous two US school finals, the Hawkeyes falling wanting the crown every time.
Clark, taken first within the WNBA Draft on April 15, mentioned through the season she was leaving for the WNBA ranks and her devoted fan base is anticipated to spice up rankings and attendance for the US ladies’s league when the 2024 season begins subsequent month.
“It is a new chapter and that is what I used to be prepared for,” Clark mentioned. “I received a couple of exercises beneath my belt (earlier than Sunday). That undoubtedly helps so I am not coming into coaching camp utterly blind.”
The Fever have not reached the WNBA playoffs since 2016, have not received a playoff collection or had a successful season since 2015 and received their solely championship in 2012.
“Our objective is the playoffs,” Fever coach Christie Sides mentioned.
Clark says she is worked up for the strain of the WNBA, which begins with a pre-season contest Friday at Dallas.
“It is undoubtedly completely different however that is what you count on whenever you begin a brand new chapter of your life,” Clark mentioned.
“This teaching employees is totally ready. They have been watching me for fairly a while and the stuff they’ve deliberate and the actions we will run are going to be actually good for myself, actually good for this group basically. Numerous screening motion.
“It is quick, a quick shot clock, but it surely matches my recreation effectively.”
Getting again on court docket for the two-hour crew exercise session enabled Clark to put aside a whirlwind previous few weeks as her reputation exploded throughout a university post-season run final month.
“I believe that’s what I used to be most excited for –- get all that different stuff out of the best way,” Clark mentioned. “There actually hasn’t been a down interval for me to catch my breath.
“I really feel like I am in actually good basketball form. There is no getting again in form for myself. I have been taking part in basketball. There has probably not been an off interval. For me, I really feel like that is a extremely good factor. You simply hold the momentum rolling and hold being myself and continue to learn.”
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