Discourse around the WNBA for the last week has been dominated by the state of the Indiana Fever. The Fever, which entered Thursday night’s Commissioner’s Cup game against the Atlanta Dream on a two-game losing streak.
In a loss to the Portland Fire on Saturday night, star point guard Caitlin Clark and head coach Stephanie White got into a heated exchange on the bench, leading to White pulling Clark out of the game in favor of rookie Raven Johnson.
Before Thursday’s game, Clark spoke about the situation, and that “edge” that people saw on Saturday is a part of her greatness.
“I’m competitive and I have an edge that’s what makes me great but sometimes it’s not something you always love too, Clark acknowledged.
“But at the same time that competitive fire and that drive and that passion, that joy and that edge that’s what people come to watch. It’s what they love,” she continued.
It’s a sentiment that Fever reporter James Boyd shares as well.
“With Caitlin, she is not always a nice teammate or a nice person to referee or a nice person to coach because of her edge,” he said. “But the edge is what makes her special.”
Hopefully, fans and pundits alike realize what those inside and around the Fever organization realize, and that Clark’s competitive edge is a part of her league-altering draw, and begin to embrace it, even if it means she has to take on the villain role. Clark is certainly doing so.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.