Caitlin Clark had the pleasure of appearing on ESPN with Napheesa Collier to pick the players who will join their All-Star teams as the two captains, selected because they received the most votes in the league. It was fun to watch the two stars interact, but what caught my ear was the praise Clark heaped on New York Liberty's coach Sandy Brondello after announcing a never-done-before All-Star head coach trade.
“sandy defending champion, loves to shoot threes, lets her players get after it. i’m feeling good.”
— cc akgae (@clrkszn) July 10, 2025
mhm pic.twitter.com/pa6BFb5opX
Clark has been in the spotlight for a long time, so she's media-trained, understanding how things will come off if she's not careful with her words. It's unlikely that she made an offhand comment here, especially when you consider the struggles her team has had under the stewardship of Stephanie White.
Clark and White have clashing styles and it's hurting the Fever
The most frustrating part about this for Fever fans is seeing the team rattle off a three-game winning streak when CC was sidelined. The hope was that they had figured something out, and re-integrating their franchise player would only help them reach the next level. That hasn't happened.
Indy just broke a two-game losing streak, and the most recent loss before the big win against the Atlanta Dream was frustrating. Clark and the Fever started that game on fire. They played at a breakneck pace, and it helped them take and establish a strong lead early in the ball game. When the Valkyries made their run, it was like a shock to Indiana's system or something. They didn't react in the way you'd expect.
They should have gone right back at Golden State with physicality and pace, but they slowed the game down, and that played more into the hands of the more physical team. That wasn't the Fever. They ended up losing by 11 points when they had held a double-digit lead of their own earlier in the game.
This team has been dealing with that kind of identity crisis all season. It's nice that they can step up and pull out some wins when Clark goes down, but the former Iowa megastar is your franchise player. You have to find a way to win games with her in the lineup, and it shouldn't be this difficult. The Fever are sitting at .500, nearly at the halfway point of the season. You generally know who the teams are by then.
The Fever are an inconsistent team. The defensive effort is fleeting, and the offense isn't gelling like it should. Those things fall on the coach. It's her second year with this team, and they have talented players on the roster. They shouldn't be flailing like this, and clearly, Caitlin Clark feels the same way.