Legendary Tamika Catchings gives sage advice to Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese

Before Caitlin Clark was the face of the Indiana Fever, Tamika Catchings was the franchise player. Catchings is a basketball Hall of Famer and played for Indiana for 15 seasons, leading the team to the 2021 league title as finals MVP.

As a 10-time WNBA All-Star, four-time Olympic gold medalist, and MVP, she knows a little something about being the face of attention in the WNBA community.

In the 2024 WNBA season, we have seen historic numbers in terms of TV ratings, game attendance, interest, and even controversies. Catchings spoke with Christine Brennan of USA TODAY Sports on subjects relating to this season and Clark leading the Fever. She even attended the most recent showdown between Angel Reese and Clark when Indiana traveled to take on the Chicago Sky.

They asked her about the cheap shots that Clark takes every other game but specifically about the one from Reese.

“The cheap shot, I don’t agree with that, I don’t agree with that, especially that’s where injuries happen,” she said. “The play itself was wrong. As a whole, we all have a responsibility to make sure that things like that don’t happen, for anybody to get hit like that."

“From the league standpoint, you have to protect your players. The fact that the referees didn’t take the time within the game to go and look at it, I was really surprised. I was at the game. I was really surprised that they didn’t look at it and that they just kept it moving. That’s not a basketball play.”'

Talking about the targeting Clark is getting made her reflect on her time in the W, when she received some similar plays.

“I remember the cheap shots, I remember getting held,” she said. “It happens. So the reaction as far as some of the players goes is, ‘We’ve been playing too, she and the other rookies have to still come in and prove themselves’ — but not with cheap shots.”

Tamika Catchings to Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese: "All eyes are watching you"

In the first matchup between Chicago and Indiana, Chennedy Carter hit Clark on an out-of-bounds play. It then went viral when Reese immediately stood and applauded, then hugged Carter when she came to the bench.

Catchings was asked about this strand of events in her interview.

“I have not talked to Angel,” Catchings said. “I am 100 percent sure as a team within the organization they are talking about how they are going to handle it and what they need to do internally.

“From Angel’s standpoint, same as Caitlin, all eyes are watching you. … Angel has got to be herself but there’s got to be a maturity level from all of our rookies, as you grow in this game and as you become more mature, you understand what is acceptable and what’s not acceptable. And you learn from the mistakes that you make. Angel hopefully has the right people around her that are like, hey, you know what, not cool right there. And how do you adjust and how do you learn from the situation.”

At the end of the day, though, Catchings will forever be an Indiana Fever, and she will show her support for the 22-year-old Clark. Shes watched her enter the league as the most popular face. Catchings, who says she had told Clark, “If you need me, I’m here,” talks to her now and then. 

“Obviously Caitlin is a tremendous player, she comes in with a lot of success in the college game, I love her personality, love who she is and definitely happy to have her here in Indianapolis and I think she’ll have a great career here and in the WNBA,” Catchings said. “There is a lot of weight on her shoulders and she’s handling it very well.” 

“Every single night, the opponent’s game plan is structured around Caitlin Clark,” she said. “It’s huge. They’re guarding her at the half-court line because of the fact she makes the logo 3s. They’re face-guarding her, they are picking her up on the free-throw line on the defensive end. Every single night she’s going to get single-teamed, double-teamed, triple-teamed, quadruple-teamed. That is a huge compliment.”

Clark's talents are noticeable to everyone and are especially respected by a player like Catchings. The two Fever franchise stars come from similar backgrounds in Indiana and could even see similar success in their careers with the franchise.