"Whatever you need": Fever veteran has Caitlin Clark's back ahead of WNBA debut

By Sean Cavanaugh

Modified Apr 30, 2024 14:22 GMT

Caitlin Clark didn't receive a lot of love from WNBA veterans when she was drafted first overall. WNBA veterans Diana Taurasi and MVP Breanna Stewart both said Clark will need to earn her stardom at the next level.

Now Clark has someone in the league backing her up. Indiana Fever veteran Erica Wheeler voiced her support for her new rookie superstar teammate.

Wheeler made her comments in a media conference as the team prepares for the WNBA season. She wanted to assert that she is willing to lend a hand to Clark as she traverses her first season in the league.

“It is very unlikely for a vet to take you in especially when you have the same position. Oftentimes, people forget I am a great person before a great basketball player. So for me as a big sister, I wanted to let her know that we are here and we got you. Whatever you need,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler wants to aid Clark in her first season.

“It’s like the first day of school when you don’t know anybody and you find that first person that says hi to you. So I just wanted to get ahead of it because I know this transition can be difficult,” Wheeler added.

Caitlin Clark has already gotten rave reviews from her teammates. She is the first overall pick and biggest star in the league, despite not playing a game yet. Wheeler said Clark has not acted like the star she is.

“She is one of the biggest players in the world right now and she don’t act like that,” Wheeler said. “There is no ego at all, she is not selfish. She wants to be here.”

When is Caitlin Clark’s first WNBA game?

The Indiana Fever will play their first game of the season on May 14. It will also be Caitlin Clark’s highly anticipated WNBA debut. It will also be the opening game of the 2024 season.

The Fever traveled to Connecticut to take on the Sun, who made the semifinals last season. The game will air on national TV on ESPN.

Caitlin Clark will have to wait until the second game of the season to make her debut in front of home fans. On May 16, the Fever will host the New York Liberty, which will be streamed on Amazon Prime as the league broadcasts practically all of Clark's games.

The Fever will play 36 of their 40 regular-season games on national television. They have the highest number of broadcast games this season, even more than the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.

The Chicago Sky will be another must-watch TV after they drafted Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. The LA Sparks also have two top-five draft picks in Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson to make another young, exciting team in the league.

The Las Vegas Aces will be going for their third straight title, led by Kelsey Plum and A’ja Wilson. The New York Liberty will be their biggest challenger, along with Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart.