During the WNBA season last year, it was hard to avoid Caitlin Clark. Her games were on national television. Live attendance with her on the court was record-breaking. She finished fourth in MVP voting in her rookie season. Even in her first year, she was the focus, whether she wanted to be or not.
Since being eliminated from the playoffs, Clark had more time to be off the radar. Honestly, she deserves a break. Good. There was a constant spotlight and about a year straight of high-level basketball.
On top of that was the media in Indiana and nationwide. She was forced answer so many questions about so many things (sometimes quite uncomfortable things), and have so many people try to parse her language to make a point on her behalf. It's not an incorrect statement to say she had to shoulder responsibility for the league as a whole at an extremely young age. And on, and on, and aaaaaa
I would freak out.
I do hope she’s well.
Regardless, the pressure has increased this year. Expecting her to lead the Fever to a championship as a rookie was simply a bridge too far. For many of that aforementioned group, however, year two sounds good. Come on, Caitlin, let’s start a streak of not one, not two, not three, not four championships. Let’s start it right now.
The expectations can’t be that high, can they?
Well take a look at the WNBA Futures on ESPN BET (I really, really hate typing “ESPN BET.” I hope you hate reading it.). The Indiana Fever are tied with the Las Vegas Aces for the second-best championship odds. They’re at +350, close behind the defending champion New York Liberty’s +230.
It’s worth making this point clear: This doesn’t mean that oddsmakers think that Indiana is the second-best team in the league this year. This means that oddsmakers think that so many people believe in Indiana to win it all that they predict they can make the most money by giving Indiana betting odds equal to the A'ja Wilson-led Las Vegas Aces. For real. There is great faith by the betting public that Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell can win a championship.
That doesn’t mean they’re right, it just means that expectations, from a lot of people, are as high as they can be. She has the highest MVP odds as well, if that means anything to you.
Again, I hope she’s well. The amount of attention she gets is not healthy for anyone. Basketball probably seemed like an escape at one point. I hope it still does. I don’t want that to be taken from her.
Everyone, just be normal. Okay?