Caitlin Clark sends ominous warning immediately after WNBA rookie season abruptly ends

Caitlin Clark saw her WNBA rookie season come to an end as Indiana Fever lost to the Connecticut Sun – but declared she still has lots of room for improvement in an ominous sign for the rest of the league

Caitlin Clark has sent an ominous warning to the rest of the WNBA after her historic rookie season came to an abrupt end – she is going to get even better.

Clark and the Indiana Fever were eliminated from the WNBA Playoffs after being beaten 87-81 by the Connecticut Sun in a thrilling encounter. They entered the game knowing they needed a win to keep the best-of-three series alive and came up just short in a dramatic fourth quarter.

Clark struggled in her first-ever WNBA Playoff game by her high standards. She scored only 11 points in Game 1 as Indiana suffered a 93-69 defeat.

In Game 2, knowing her team needed a win, Clark delivered in a big way. Involved in a fierce battle with DeWanna Bonner throughout the game, Clark ended up with 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in arguably the best rookie post-season performance of all time.

It capped off a stunning individual season, which landed her Rookie of the Year honors and made a mockery of any predictions she might struggle to adjust to the professional game. But no sooner had the season ended then Clark was warning there is a lot more to come.

Asked to grade her rookie year after the game, Clark told media: “I don’t know how I would grade myself. I’m a tough grader. I feel like I had a solid year but, for me, the fun part is I feel like I’m just scratching the surface.

“I’m one that’s knit-picking every single thing I do and I know I want to help this franchise get even better, help my teammates get even better, be better for my teammates.

“And I know there’s a lot of room for me to continue to improve, so that’s what excites me the most. I feel like I can continue to be a lot better, and I’m sure before we know it we’ll be back here and ready for the next year.”

Clark scored 25 points in Game 2 against the Connecticut Sun (
Image:
Getty Images)
Trailing by 11 points at one stage in the fourth quarter, Clark led the Fever on a late rally with a 12-2 scoring run, making the shot that gave them a narrow lead for the first time since the first quarter. But the Sun responded with a clutch finish, condemning Clark and Indiana to a heartbreaking loss to end her historic rookie season.

The 2-0 loss in the best-of-three series, with both the first two contests played in Connecticut, meant the Fever never got to play a post-season game in front of home fans in Indianapolis.

Clark said: “Obviously, tough one, especially because we climbed all the way back in and definitely had our opportunities late. Then a few different miscues and its back to a two position game, couldn’t quite get over the hump there.

“Like AB (Aaliyah Boston) said, it’s a good little taste of what’s possible for this organization and this franchise. There’s a lot for us to hold our heads high about. This team won five games two years ago, so we’re a young group, a pretty inexperienced group but we came together and had a lot of fun playing with one another.

“That’s sometimes the worst part of it. You feel like you’re really playing your best basketball then it has to end. But like I said, really proud of this group. Stayed resilient all year and had a lot of fun together.”