Caitlin Clark's teammates share how she changed their roles: "The world attempted to enter this building"

The Caitlin Clark era's first regular season has ended with the Indiana Fever's 92-91 loss to the Washington Mystics in the finale on Thursday.

The Fever, which had not made the playoffs in eight years, is now preparing for a series as one of the most popular franchises in the WNBA after Clark's arrival supercharged the team in just one year.

Clark's teammates experienced a stark contrast when she was drafted first overall in April. Unlike the previous team, they were accustomed to losing and playing in front of sellout crowds. They were also not used to the heavy media attention that Clark's presence attracted.

Kelsey Mitchell, the point guard, stated before the game on Thursday that she believed the public would not be aware of her if not for Clark. She added that she was accustomed to a more reserved approach to her job.

Mitchell stated that without "C squared" (Clark's nickname), people might not recognize him, so he praised Caitlin.

Although she has successfully attracted her own supporters, I find her efforts amusing because I have always been more reserved and low-key. It's fascinating to observe the contrast between my own personality and hers.

"I hope that people will enjoy my play, even though there is no guarantee that they will see it."

This season, the 14 most-watched WNBA games have all been Indiana games, according to Nielson. The team's games have even managed to challenge the NFL. On Sept. 6, while many were focused on the NFL game in Brazil, a battle between the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever averaged 1.26 million viewers on ION, giving the network another WNBA game with more than 1 million average viewers this season.

The league could witness unprecedented playoff TV ratings with the Fever's postseason appearance.

Shooting guard Erica Wheeler told reporters about Clark's presence this season.

Wheeler stated that all they do with Caitlin Clark is have fun, as she never takes anything seriously. He added that she is truly a kid at heart and that they need to be serious only in certain moments. However, most of the time, they are having fun. Wheeler emphasized that the outside world was trying to get inside their building, but they didn't let it.

"Having fun is a great way to keep that out."

Clark's rookie season had its highs and lows.

The rookie Clark was on the brink of receiving a one-game suspension in the Fever's latest game against the Dallas Wings due to her seventh technical foul of the season.

After a turnover in the game, Clark walked up the floor and looked up at the replay. She began to argue with the referee. Kelsey Mitchell put out her arm to stop Clark from going to the ref, while Aliyah Boston yelled "No" to prevent her from getting a technical foul.

Clark successfully completed the game without receiving a technical thanks to the help of his teammates.

This season, opponents have targeted Clark with several controversial fouls, which has been a concern for both her and her team.

In the Fever's recent game against the Chicago Sky, DeShields of Chicago committed a foul that sent Clark flying across the floor, which was later upgraded to a flagrant foul.

On June 1, Clark performed an illegal hip check on Chicago Sky forward Carter, which was widely condemned. After the game, Clark stated that the hit was not a basketball play. On June 16, Sky rookie Reese accidentally struck Clark in the head with her arm while attempting to block a pass during a game.

The issue of hits against Clark during her rookie year has become so significant that former NBA player Joakim Noah recommended the Fever sign an "enforcer" to safeguard her.

"If I were the owner of the Indiana Fever, I would acquire a real enforcer to safeguard her, as stated by Noah to Planet Chronicle Digital. Despite feeling that she is being attacked because of her exceptional talent, Noah emphasized that their primary objective is to win games. As such, if I were the owner, I would bring in a real enforcer to protect her."

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