What’s the best advice that’s been given to you during a game?
What do you hope your legacy or stamp on the game will be?
How do you go about not allowing frustration to affect your relationships with your new teammates?
Those were among the six questions asked by reporters to Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark on Thursday during what appears to be the first 3½ minutes of a news conference following her team’s 89-77 loss to Seattle.
No one seemed to notice teammate Aliyah Boston sitting to Clark’s right with a microphone in front of her as well.
As question No. 7 began with the words, “Caitlin, you—,” Clark cut off the reporter and gestured toward Boston.
”Ask Aliyah a question,” Clark said.
Boston remained expressionless. “No, I’m good,” she said.
Multiple reporters seemed to speak at once, and Boston again indicated they should continue as they were. But Clark waved her arm and again gestured toward Boston.
“Ask Aliyah a question,” she said again, now looking down at the table.
The reporters obliged, with what appears to be the final three questions of the session addressed to Boston. She didn’t appear to hold a grudge over seemingly being ignored earlier and gave thoughtful answers.
Clark finished with 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Boston had 11 points and 14 rebounds. The Fever are 7-12 with two straight losses following a four-game winning streak.
Much has been made this season about the amount of attention given to Clark, NCAA basketball’s all-time leading scorer, compared to the other players in the WNBA. Some, such as Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese, have gone out of their way to point out that the league’s current surge in popularity shouldn’t be credited to only one person.
Perhaps Clark was trying to repay Boston for having her back during a June 19 news conference after the Fever’s 88-81 win over the Washington Mystics. As Clark spoke about an errant pass she had meant to throw to Boston, the reigning WNBA rookie of the year stopped her.
“It’s OK. Don’t worry,” Boston told Clark before addressing the reporters. “I mean, because you look at Caitlin and you look at the way she passes the ball and so sometimes things are gonna happen that way and that’s OK ‘cause we’re not going to let her hang her head. We’re not going to hang our head off of any missed passes.
“Because we’re still continuing to gel together, and we know that she’s a great passer, so if she thinks she can get that ball there, she’s gonna throw it. And if I miss it, then we’re good. We’re all right. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks, AB,” Clark responded as both women laughed.