Like those of Victor Wembanyama last October, the debut of Caitlin Clark are scrutinized very closely, and after two meetings, it seems like a nightmare start. After a first meeting in Connecticut, marked by her 10 lost balls, last night she made her big debut at home.
In a packed house, it was the New York Liberty who spoiled the party. Led by the reigning MVP, Breanna Stewart (31 points), the 2023 finalists won by 36 points: 102-66!
If Caitlin Clark only lost 3 balls, she still had a lot of trouble finding the target with 9 points at 2/8 on shots including a very weak 1/7 from distance. Her 7 rebounds and 6 assists saved her stats line, while she was again quickly affected by fouls.
“The opponents impose an aggressive defense on her and we have to behave better to help her find space and be free” concedes her inner self, Katie Lou Samuelson.
Time to acclimatize
Regardless, Caitlin Clark did not reach the 10-point mark, and this had not happened to her since 2021, during her freshman year at Iowa.
“We want her to keep fighting,” adds her teammate. “We want to find the best way to work with her, and like I said before, I think we need to continue to help her. »
Her opponent for the evening, Sabrina Ionescu, had also been there when she arrived in the WNBA, and she shares her experience.
“In this league there are some solid defenses, all focused on not letting you get the ball and taking two-man catches to not let you score”, she testifies. “There were a lot of factors that forced me to have a difficult first season, but it helps you understand and you have to have those experiences. »
