Caitlin Clark adjusts to the WNBA and ends the first week on a high note

NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark is adjusting to life as a professional basketball player.

Her first week in the league had times where she looked great and others where she struggled. The schedule was not kind with the first three games against two of the best teams in the league with New York and Connecticut.

It will take time for the young Indiana Fever star to find his rhythm against the incredible talent in the league.

“I’m just trying to remember that I know it’s my job now, but I’m having fun playing this game and I think that needs to be my goal throughout this year. It’s just like, have fun, that’s when I’m at my best too, and that’s when I was at my best in college,” she said after a 91-80 loss to the New York Liberty on Saturday.

Clark, 22, had his best game of the young season against New York, but it still wasn’t enough to give the Fever their first win of the season. The No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft from Iowa had 22 points, including 10 in the first quarter when she came out aggressive.

“I thought I came out and played harder, and I think that’s going to be my main focus going forward,” Clark said. “Go out, compete and play hard. I thought our whole group did that.

Her offensive numbers are quite impressive as she averages 17.0 points, 5.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds. She is now only the fourth player to total more than 50 points and 21 assists in her first three games, joining Sue Bird, Nikki McCray and Candace Parker.

There are definitely areas for improvement. She’s shooting just 40 percent from the field, a 5 percent drop from her final college season, and she’s making 21 turnovers in the first three games. His 10 in the opening match was the most ever by a player on debut.

Opposing players defended Clark when asked about the rookie.

“I think the media needs to give her some grace and time to become a player,” Liberty center Jonquel Jones said. “She learns every game she plays. His impact on this league is going to be huge and will only grow as it matures.

“But just give it some time, man. Look at Kelsey Plum and what it was like for her when she first came into this league and the player she is now. Just give it a little grace.

Although his stats haven’t yet been as impressive as they were in college, Clark has already left his mark. His first three games with the Fever were huge in terms of attendance and television ratings. The Connecticut Sun sold out their home opener for the first time in 20 years. The game set a record for highest viewership on an ESPN network for the WNBA.

More than 17,000 fans turned out Thursday night for the Fever’s home opener against the Liberty.

New York sold out Saturday and the Liberty generated more than $2 million in ticket revenue for the game at the Barclays Center, a WNBA record, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not “I’m not allowed to talk about the team’s income.

“I think the buzz and eyes that Caitlin brought from Iowa to the WNBA are going to be a collective win for everyone. When I first started in the league, some teams weren’t even making revenue,” Liberty forward Breanna Stewart said. “It takes time. We are happy to be where we are, but we are not satisfied.

Clark said she was very excited when she returned to Indiana to be able to move into her apartment. She had been living in a hotel since arriving in town last month.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball