As former WNBA great Rebecca Lobo alluded to on social media, many rookies have entered the league since it tipped off in June 1997. However, they still need to achieve what Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark did when she tallied a triple-double of 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists in the Fever's recent 83-78 victory over the highly-touted New York Liberty.
Caitlin, the former Iowa State superstar who has helped uplift the WNBA to new heights with her celebrity pull and terrific play, became the first rookie and Fever player to register a triple-double. She completed the rare feat by grabbing her tenth rebound with seven minutes left in the game.
Deflected praise to her teammates
Despite the media attention and scrutiny, the electric guard remains humble. Her feats of basketball brilliance, dating back to her phenomenal years donning the Hawkeyes jersey, have not inflated her ego.
Instead, she ensures that praise is deflected to her teammates for their contributions to the historic win. Speaking at the post-game presser beside teammate Aaliyah Boston, she emphasized that the win meant more to her than the individual accolade.
"I'm just happy we won," Caitlin said of Indiana's come-from-behind win that saw them rally from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit with a scintillating 28-16 blast.
Although she was known for her superb scoring prowess in the NCAA, where she shattered nearly every scoring record available, the native of Des Moines, Iowa, continues to showcase her all-around skills in her rookie season, averaging 16.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.
"I take a lot of pride in being able to do a lot of different things for this team. Obviously 13 assists, that means my teammates made 13 shots off my passes, so that goes to them," the soon-to-be WNBA-All-Star remarked. "My teammates been finishing the ball really, really high rate, My assist numbers, that's because of them."
Focused on getting the victory
As the home crowd celebrated Caitlin's triple-double, there's footage online of her signaling to them to cut it out and remain quiet. She explained this was to give her teammate, Lexie Hull, a better chance of hitting her free throws amid the Fever's comeback.
"I was trying to get the crowd to be quiet. Hull was shooting a free throw and I was like, I appreciate it, but I was just trying to get them to be quiet, but obviously, it's really cool," the Indiana star stated .
These comments speak volumes about the maturity and leadership that Caitlin brings to the court despite being just a rookie. Her poise and selflessness are evident in her actions and words, showing that she is not just a talented player but a respected leader on her team.
Related: "I don't know if she has that dawg in her" - Skip Bayless wonders if Caitlin Clark has that mental toughness after her Indiana loses a big fourth-quarter lead
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